In December, the Council of Europe took another step to support prison staff in Bosnia and Herzegovina, delivering new equipment to the Centre for Excellence at the Institute for Execution of Criminal Sanctions, Detention and other Measures (BiH State Prison). The equipment responds to needs identified by the prison and strengthens both training provision and everyday working conditions.

A prison representative and trainer involved in Council of Europe programmes, Nebojša Popović, highlighted the importance of the initiative. He noted that trainers and participants had flagged gaps in equipment and working conditions during earlier sessions, but that the prison lacked the resources to address them independently.

The Centre for Excellence, designed to provide training and capacity-building for prison staff from all 14 prison facilities across Bosnia and Herzegovina in managing, rehabilitating and preparing for release of violent extremist offenders (VEOs) and other offenders prone to radicalisation, received computers and presentation equipment, along with new office furniture, and other essential upgrades. Well-equipped training spaces are key to running hands-on programmes that reflect both the complexity of these challenges and the realities of prison work.

The delivery also prioritised staff wellbeing, with furniture and appliances provided for the Centre’s rest area. This area is intended for use during training sessions but is also available to staff during their daily breaks and for informal meetings and discussions. This essential space, the only one of its kind in the complex, offers employees an opportunity to step away, talk, and recharge in an otherwise demanding working environment.

Better facilities, including good air conditioning and basic appliances, will make a real difference to staff health and performance, Popović confirmed.

This delivery builds on years of close co-operation between the Council of Europe and the prison system. Better tools and better conditions contribute to safer daily work and a stronger, more resilient prison system.

The equipment was purchased as part of the Council of Europe Project “Providing for effective reintegration of violent extremist offenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PER-VEO) - Phase I”, which is funded under the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025.