The first Steering Committee (SC) meeting of the project “Support to the penitentiary system towards sustainable rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina” was held on 07 June 2021 in an online format, with the participation of representatives of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the Federation of BiH (FBiH) and Republika Srpska (RS) Ministries of Justice.

The SC members reflected on the progress made under the previous project and welcomed the acceptance of the Strategic Guidelines for Management of VEPs in BiH and its Action Plan 2020–2025 by the BiH and RS Ministries of Justice and have further encouraged the FBiH Ministry of Justice in their efforts to ensure acceptance of this vitally important strategic document. The SC further noted the positive developments made by the BiH Ministry of Justice, which incorporated the VEP-specific rehabilitation tools and programmes, as developed under the previous project, into the legislative framework, thus making it a mandatory procedure in VEPs’ management in the State Prison.

Participants were informed about the scope of the on-going project initiative, its objectives, main components, and approved its Work Plan until 31 December 2021. The SC members expressed satisfaction with the continuation of the CoE engagement in addressing prison radicalisation prevention and rehabilitation of VEPs, extending unequivocal support and commitment to the future plans in that regards.

The project is funded under the Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2018 – 2021.