HF II North Macedonia - Enhancing penitentiary system External Oversight Mechanism

As part of the co-operation framework co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, known as the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey, phase II (Horizontal Facility II), the Council of Europe implemented the Action “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the External Oversight Mechanism in North Macedonia”, in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice (Directorate for Execution of Sanctions), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ombudsman’s Office. The Action also involved a wide group of other national stakeholders, including prominent civil society organisations active in the area of protection and promotion of human rights.

The main aim of the Action was to contribute to a safer and more humane society that respects and protects the rights of detained and sentenced persons in line with the Council of Europe standards in the area of penitentiary and law enforcement.

The key Conventions for this Action were the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), as well as the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

The duration of the project was set at 36 months and it was completed by 31 December 2022, with an overall budget of 1,050,000 Euros.

Project documentation

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back The component on radicalisation in prisons completes with a piloting and strengthened inter-institutional coordination in North Macedonia

@ Council of Europe

The Council of Europe activities that supported the national authorities in enhancing their capacities in addressing radicalisation in prisons and managing violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) in North Macedonia were completed this week.

Namely, on 20-21 September 2022, the multi-disciplinary teams discussed the utilisation of the VEP-specific risk and needs assessment (RNA) instrument and individual programme. It was concluded that the intervention tools are applied throughout the penitentiary institutions, most of which have established multi-treatment teams that facilitate the exchange of information.

Furthermore, a follow-up session held on 22 September 2022 with all the stakeholders marked the completion of the activities that focus on the preparation for release and post-penal assistance to radicalised inmates and VEPs. The multi-agency cooperation and sharing information on VEPs’ case management is now regulated with Standard Operating Procedures that entered into force in June 2021.

In addition to the acquired knowledge and skills, one of the greatest achievements of this component is the established regular inter-institutional coordination between the main stakeholders and actors in this field. As a result, throughout the past year, the multi-agency cooperation on preparation for release of radicalised inmates has visibly improved.

This activity was organised under the action on “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the External Oversight Mechanism in North Macedonia”, which is a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022".

North Macedonia 26 September 2022