HF II Montenegro - Further enhancing Human Rights protection for detained and sentenced persons

As part of the second phase of the European Union and Council of Europe programmatic framework “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey” (Horizontal Facility II), the Council of Europe implemented the Action “Further enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro”. The Action was implemented in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice, the Institute for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions, Police Administration, and Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The objectives of the Action consisted of the securisation of human rights compliance of the police through strengthening the safeguards against ill-treatment, the Improvement of the fight against violent extremism in prison and police, but also the enhancing of independent monitoring and framework for the investigation of ill-treatment and the improvement of reintegration and rehabilitation of prisoners in the society after released.

This Action assisted Montenegrin authorities in their efforts to comply with standards set in the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and to implement recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture – CPT.

The Action started on 24 May 2019 and was completed on 31 December 2022 with an overall budget of 750.000 €.

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PROJECT NEWS

Back Launch of the third phase of Horizontal Facility Action in Montenegro

The first Steering Committee meeting of a 48-month joint Council of Europe/European Union Action on “Enhancing Human Rights protection for detained and sentenced person” took place on 10 March 2023. The meeting also marked the launch of the third phase of the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” (Horizontal Facility III) action in Podgorica, Montenegro.

The action builds on the results of previous two HF phases and will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Interior/Police Administration, Administration for Execution of Criminal Sanctions, Ministry of Justice, Ombudsman/National Preventive Mechanism, State Prosecutor’s Office, and Ministry of Health as well as other national stakeholders, including prominent civil society organisations active on the protection and promotion of human rights of detained persons.

The action is focusing on:

Improving the treatment of persons detained in police custody in line with the Council of Europe standards against ill-treatment and impunity;
Enhancing health care services for detained persons in prisons;
Better monitoring of detention facilities through enhanced capacity of the NPM Office.

All national stakeholders expressed their full support to the action and highlighted the importance of Council of Europe and European Union support to the criminal justice reforms. Both the activity plan and the expected main outcomes of the action were presented and agreed.

For more information on the action, you may visit the dedicated page on the Cooperation and Police and Deprivation of Liberty site.

The duration of the action is set at 48 months and will be completed by 31 December 2026, as a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” (Horizontal Facility III) running from 2023 until 2026 and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Montenegro 14 March 2023