HF II Albania - Enhancing the protection of Human Rights for prisoners

Building upon the results achieved from the implementation of the first phase of European Union and Council of Europe programmatic framework “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey” (Horizontal Facility), the new Action “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania” assisted the Albanian authorities to further enhance prison reform and the protection of the human rights of prisoners. It was implemented in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice, the Directorate General of the Prison Administration and with other relevant institutions and stakeholders, including civil society organisations active in the penitentiary field.

The Action covered four main areas:

Introduction of the effective human resources and sustainable training programme for prison management;
Strengthening the provision of health care to prisoners with a particular focus on detainees with mental disorders and the implementation of suicide prevention strategy;
Strengthening the process of rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners with a particular focus on the implementation of a standard system of risk management;
Improvements in the treatment of vulnerable groups of prisoners, in particular high risk /violent prisoners, sex offenders and female prisoners.

The Action was completed on 31 December 2022, with an overall budget of 640,000 EUR.

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Back Prison police from Peqin and Fier enhanced their skills on security topics in line with Council of Europe standards

@ Council of Europe

The Council of Europe and the Training Center for prison staff continue to raise the capacities of Albanian prison police concerning important security aspects, related to escorting and transportation of prisoners and pre-trial detainees, searches, means of restraint, prevention and proportionality of the use of force.

On 28 February-1 March, a 2-day training was conducted with 26 prison police from Fier and Peqin prisons. The training was based on the revised training modules which now incorporate Council of Europe standards. During the training a good balance was ensured between procedural aspects, video materials and real-life footage taken from Albanian prisons. The objective of the latter was to offer to prison police the possibility of conducting a coherent analysis of real-life situations, building up preparatory knowledge not only in a classroom setting, but also at the workplace. The training was delivered by a team of three local trainers and one international consultant.

This activity was organised within the scope of the action “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania”, as a part of joint initiative of the European Union and Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.

Albania 04 March 2022