Newsroom

Council of Europe marking successful completion of the Armenian projects in the probation and penitentiary health care areas
The successful completion of two Council of Europe Projects “Enhancing health care and human rights protection in prisons in Armenia” and “Support the scaling-up of the probation service in Armenia” has been marked with a closing conference on 29 November 2022. The event brought together...
Special Investigation Service further strengthens cooperation with representatives of the Public Defender’s Office and CSO
On 29 November 2022, the Special Investigation Service (SIS) management presented the draft instructions on application of special protection measures to victims and witnesses of crimes investigated under SIS mandate to the representatives of the Public Defender’s Office, academia, and civil...
Study visit to the French Department of Prison Administration
On 29 and 30 November 2022, representatives of the Ministries of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska (RS) and prison practitioners from prison establishments under their respective jurisdictions (BiH delegation) paid a visit to the...
Closing conference of the project on Enhancing the effectiveness of civil monitoring boards in line with European standards in Türkiye
Substantial progress has been made in enhancing the capacities of the national prison monitoring mechanisms in Türkiye, significantly contributing to ensuring sustainable and continuous prevention of ill-treatment in places of deprivation of liberty, concluded the participants at the closing...
Council of Europe has officially launched the new project “Improvement of the treatment of persons deprived of liberty”
On 22 November 2022, a half-day conference held in Pristina marked the official launch of the Council of Europe’s project “Improvement of the treatment of persons deprived of liberty”. Over fifty representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Prison Health Department, Kosovo...
Call for International consultancy services in the area of healthcare for persons deprived of their liberty in Kosovo*
Call for International consultancy services in the area of healthcare for persons deprived of their liberty in Kosovo* Deadline: 19 December 2022 For more information, please follow this link * All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions, or population, in this text shall be...
Introducing a New Risk and Needs Assessment tool in Slovenia
A new Risk and Needs Assessment tool, developed by the Council of Europe in line with Council of Europe standards and based on the feedback and priorities provided by the Slovenian Prison Administration was presented at a training session that took place on 21-23 November in Ljubljana. Twenty-two...
Albanian Training Center for Prison staff receives technical equipment to deliver online trainings
Some 4500 prison staff are anticipated to benefit from the delivery of online initial and continuous trainings, following the donation of the technical equipment to the Training Center for Prison staff located at the Directorate General of Prison Administration of Albania. At the launching event...
The Council of Europe assessed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s prison staff training needs on addressing radicalisation and violent extremism
The presentation of the results from the training needs assessment visit under the project "Ensuring Sustainable Penitentiary Actions in managing rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners in Bosnia and Herzegovina (ESPA-VEP)" was held on 18 November, 2022 in Sarajevo. It featured the main...
North Macedonia’s medical and other prison staff trained on mental healthcare provision
Eight doctors and medical personnel, alongside with ten prison officers working in six penitentiary institutions in North Macedonia enhanced their knowledge on mental healthcare management in prisons. This two-day session took place on 16-17 November 2022 in Skopje – the first ever such training...
HIGH JUDICIAL AND PROSECUTORIAL COUNCIL ENDORSES PLATFORM TO ENHANCE SECURITY OF JUDICIAL OFFICIALS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina endorsed the Platform to enhance safety and security of judicial office holders at its session held on 10 November 2022 in Sarajevo. This comprehensive document, developed over the past 12 months, sets out the current safety and...
The Armenian Probation Service exploring the Czech experience in the area of probation
A study visit for the staff of the Probation Service and the Ministry of Justice of Armenia took place in Prague, Czech Republic where they met with the representatives of the Probation and Mediation Service, Prison Service and several non-governmental organisations. During the visit, the members...
Training on Opioid Agonist Treatment in Prisons in Georgia
Over 75 members of penitentiary system personnel (doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, regime and security staff) have increased their awareness about long-term Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) through the series of one-day seminars organised by the Council of Europe in the period 9-13...
CANTONAL MINISTRIES OF INTERIOR IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA INTENSIFY EFFORTS TO PREVENT ILL-TREATMENT IN CUSTODY
4 November 2022, Mostar - Senior managing police officers from the Federal Police Administration and all 10 Cantonal Ministries of Interior met in Mostar to discuss the efforts to prevent ill-treatment in custody. Police commissioners and Heads of Sectors for Uniform Police agreed on the...
A delegation from the Ministry of Justice, the National Administration of Penitentiaries and the National Probation Inspectorate made a study visit to the Council of Europe
15 representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the National Administration of Penitentiaries, and the National Probation Inspectorate participated in a study visit to the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg, France on 2-4 November. The study visit allowed the participants to gain...
The first review of the implementation of North Macedonia’s Penitentiary Strategy shows greater focus is needed on improving material conditions and healthcare in prisons
Fifteen months after its adoption by the Government, the implementation of the National Strategy on the Development of the Penitentiary System in North Macedonia (2021-25) was reviewed by a dedicated working group, composed of senior representatives from the Directorate for the Execution of...
Furthering psychosocial rehabilitation of patients in psychiatric institutions of the Republic of Moldova
A Concept Note and a Plan of Actions for the psychosocial rehabilitation of patients in psychiatric institutions of the Republic of Moldova, including forensic patients, was presented at a Round Table held in Chisinau. The two documents are results of an assessment mission carried out by the...
The staff of the institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro strengthen skills as a National Preventive Mechanism
Monitoring officers of the Protector of Human Right and Freedoms of Montenegro - in their National Preventive Mechanism role have now a better understanding and increased knowledge and skills on monitoring places of detention. Two specialised trainings took place respectively, 12-14 October...
Enhancing the knowledge on medical ethics in Armenian prisons
Four 2-day training sessions for 80 medical staff were organised on medical ethics through the synergy of the two Council of Europe co-operation projects. Medical ethics in the context of international legal instruments, medical ethics and the rights of patients, the code of conduct of medical...
Case managers and investigators in Georgia enhanced their knowledge of the psychological aspects of communication with the perpetrators and victims of offences against juveniles
On 2-3 November 2022, 20 case managers and investigators of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) from different regions participated in a 2-day training session on the psychological aspects of communication with the perpetrators and victims of offences against juveniles, including...

