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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Back Protection of detained and imprisoned persons in Montenegro standardised

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In an effort to upgrade the application of standards of human rights protection by police officers conducting arrests, the joint European Union/Council of Europe action “Further enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro” has supported the Police Administration in revising all applicable operating procedures and developing a comprehensive document incorporating all the relevant national and international standards.

As a result, the Instruction for conduct of police officers during the arrest and detention, regulating all the issues relevant to deprivation of liberty and detention of persons, has been developed in compliance with European standards and printed in 1,500 copies.

The Information sheet for persons held in police custody with the list of guaranteed human rights and freedoms and protective measures of detained and imprisoned persons, was translated into 8 languages most commonly used in Montenegro (Montenegrin, Albanian, Roma, English, Russian, German, Chinese, Arabian) and printed in 5,000 copies.

Both documents will be available in all police stations in Montenegro and will contribute to improving the conduct of police officers in situations of deprivation of liberty and detention of persons, as well as better informing these persons about their rights and how to exercise them.

Documents were developed within the action “Further enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro”, as a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme „Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022“, implemented by the Council of Europe.

Instruction for conduct of police officers during the arrest and detention