The third phase of the Council of Europe’s (CoE) long term training programme for prison regime staff started today at the Penitentiary and Probation Training Centre (PPTC). On this occasion, Mr Kakha Kakhishvili, First Deputy Minister of Corrections, Ms Maia Khasia, Director of the PPTC and Mr Givi Mikanadze, CoE Senior Project Officer welcomed the trainees.

In his opening speech, the First Deputy Minister spoke about the importance of having highly qualified personnel, who significantly contribute to the success of penitentiary reform.

The training programme consists of five phases of theoretical and practical sessions, using internships and mentoring mechanisms for the first time in the penitentiary system.  Since August 2014, 25 newly recruited officers have been studying, inter alia, national legislation and international standards on human rights, detention procedures and safety measures. They have also been trained in basic psychology and medical issues and will have the opportunity to practice these skills during their internships in different institutions.  

The training is conducted in the framework of the European Union/Council of Europe Joint Programme “Human Rights in Prisons and Other Closed Institutions”. The programme was launched in July 2013 and it aims to strengthen human rights and improving access to healthcare for persons deprived of their liberty.