Enhancing the effectiveness of Civil Monitoring Boards in Türkiye in line with European Standards

The Civil Monitoring Boards (CMBs) have been actively involved in the external monitoring of the penitentiary system in the Republic of Türkiye through conducting on-site visits since 2001. The main task of CMBs is to conduct civil monitoring visits to the prisons and produce reports with binding recommendations for the Ministry of Justice. The deficiency of standards within the monitoring process, as well as the inadequate capacities and lack of training opportunities for the members, remained at unsatisfactory level for a long period of time.

The current “learning by doing” system should be replaced by an institutionalized training system. Therefore, there is an urgent need to work on the capacity building of the CMBs, as well as on increasing the quality of the whole process of the selection and training of its members in order to reach the European standards. Only a well-functioning external monitoring mechanism will contribute to a better penal system by decreasing the human rights breaches.

The Project was divided in 4 components:

Strengthening CMBs independence through revision of the applicable legal and regulatory framework in line with the international standards;
Enhancing CMBs efficiency by further developing their monitoring standards and working methodology and tools;
Ensuring sustainable training provision for the CMB members; and
Improving CMBs internal coordination and communication with other external monitoring mechanisms.

This Project was estimated to cover approximately 100 activities to be implemented by 31 May 2022, with an overall budget of 1,600,000 Euros.

Project documentation

Useful information

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Back Development of a training methodology for prison monitors in Turkey

@ Council of Europe

A working group (WG) composed of representatives of the Civil Monitoring Boards (CMBs), Directorate General for Prisons and Detention Houses (DGPDH), academics from the selected universities, Ministry of Justice Inspection Board, National Preventive Mechanism and enforcement judge, provided input to the adult-learning training methodology for the prison monitors in Turkey.

This meeting, which was organised in a hybrid format on 7-8 July 2021 in İstanbul, marks the beginning of the process of developing seven training modules and materials, with aim to enhance knowledge and skills of CMB members and further improve the quality of the civil prison monitoring system in Turkey, aligning it with best European practices.

The WG members discussed the importance of modular training in adult learning and the main aspects to be considered while developing the modules, under the facilitation of an adult training expert. The members, then, developed a sample module template during group work, which will be improved by the national and international consultants, and will serve as example during the development process. The modules will be finalised during the next meeting planned for October 2021, which will establish the basis for the start of the training of trainers’ process.

The meeting was held within the Project entitled “Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Civil Monitoring Boards in Turkey in line with the European Standards”, funded by Sweden, Switzerland, the Republic of Turkey, the Human Rights Trust Fund of the Council of Europe and Canada.

Turkey 9 July 2021