HF III Bosnia and Herzegovina - Further strengthening the treatment of detained and sentenced persons in line with European standards

The Action “Further strengthening the treatment of detained and sentenced persons in line with European standards in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)” in its third phase will build upon results of the two preceding Actions of the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” in BiH through a joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe initially launched in 2016.

The Action is implemented in close cooperation with the Ministries of Interior, Ministries of Justice, Ministry of Health and the Institution of Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Focusing on the capacity-building of prison and law-enforcement officers, as well as forensic medical and support staff, the action will further promote human rights approach to the multidisciplinary management of persons deprived of liberty and sentenced to the custodial environment. The Action will also support the establishment of a preventive monitoring mechanism in the places of deprivation of liberty in BiH and provide continued support to the BiH authorities in introducing system of electronic exchange of prison-related data.

Furthermore, the Action will aim to ensure comprehensive treatment of persons deprived of liberty in the criminal justice system, regardless of the nature or length of their detention. The Action will aim to embed the positive direction of further aligning the prison and police practices with European standards to combat ill-treatment in the custodial environment.

In doing so, the activities are designed to deal with the specific issues comprised in the Action's four components:

Component I: further improving the human rights record in policing across the law enforcement sector in BiH with the safety and security balance in check;
Component II: further enhancing the process of resocialisation of forensic patients and supporting their safe return to their families and communities;
Component III: further embedding the electronic exchange of prison-related data in practice; and
Component IV: building capacities of the National Prevention Mechanism function holders to monitor treatment of persons deprived of liberty.

The Action addresses the findings and the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the application of Conventions of 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).

The duration of the action is set at 48 months, and it is expected to be completed by 31 December 2026, with an overall budget of 1,450,000 Euros.

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Back Rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners: practitioners from Western Balkans learn from experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Vladislav SPIRLICENCO

Modified 1 Year ago.

@ Council of Europe

On 14 and 15 November 2023, representatives of the ministries of justice and prison administrations of Albania, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia visited the High Security State Prison and the Municipality Jajce Centre for Social Welfare in Bosnia and Herzegovina to exchange good practices in preparation for release and provision of post-penal support to violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and marginalised and vulnerable prisoners at risk of radicalisation.

During the visit to the High Security State Prison, the prison practitioners exchanged experiences and gained insights into the legal and institutional framework of the prison system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the system of professional development of its staff, programmes for rehabilitation, re-socialisation and preparation of prisoners for release, while learning also about inter-agency co-operation and community-based support to and management of former VEPs and other categories of prisoners at risk of radicalisation. The participants also visited the Municipality Jajce Centre for Social Welfare and familiarised themselves with the organisational set-up and functioning of the local institutions providing post-penal and reintegration support to such former prisoners upon their return to a local community.

The study visit was organised within the framework of the regional action “Enhancing co-operation in the Western Balkans in managing violent extremism in prisons and preventing further radicalisation after release” and the Horizontal Facility III programme.