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 Rulebook on disciplinary measures against sentenced persons enters into force in North Macedonia

@ Council of Europe

As of last week, the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions of North Macedonia began applying the Rulebook on the manner of proceedings of the disciplinary commission in charge of imposing disciplinary measures against sentenced persons.

The Rulebook was prepared by a working group consisted by the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions, as well as the prison staff, facilitated by a local and international expert. Aimed at protecting the rights of the sentenced persons, the document was reviewed by an international CoE consultant in order to align it with the CPT standards, the European Prison Rules, the Mandela Rules and best European practices. The Rulebook enables sentenced persons subjected to disciplinary procedure to be informed about their rights and legal rules governing the entire process. It also provides a proper guidance for the prison administration on the composition, the mandate and the procedure in front of the disciplinary commission.

This is one of the five rulebooks prepared under the Action “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the external oversight mechanism in North Macedonia” that is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe within the “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey II” and implemented by the Council of Europe.

North Macedonia 23 June 2020