Strengthening human rights treatment of detained persons based on European standards and best practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Back Prison and court police officers train together to end human rights infigments in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Security and treatment staff from 14 prisons and officers from 20 court police units in Bosnia and Herzegovina are training and working together to ensure human rights safeguards and purposeful regime in closed environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This peer training session on 6-7 February 2019 in Mostar is delivered by the joint local prisons and law enforcement training team. It is accredited to deliver activities within the framework of the Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey - "Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina", co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.

As a result, 49 court police and prison security officers will gain skills to better apply human rights standards in the existing procedures for deprivation of liberty and treatment of apprehended persons. Also, 10 prison treatment officers will be better skilled at implementing individualised tailor made programmes to change offending behaviour of prisoners.

The law enforcement officers, both prison and police, are “grateful for this opportunity to learn from highly skilled and knowledgeable practitioners who are also experienced trainers and understand local practices. Of particular importance is that they can help us interpret CoE standards with respect to local circumstances’’. Participating in the survey aiming to establish what will they take with them upon completion of the session, majority said that they ‘’would be happy if they confirm that their past practices were close to CoE and other international standards’’.

The overall training programme is delivered based on the Guidelines for dealing with persons deprived of liberty and Handbook on prisoner management, published earlier, following their cross-referencing with the Council of Europe conventions and recommendations.

The emphasis in this comprehensive training programme is on the recommendations of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) to BiH authorities.

headline Mostar 6-7 February 2019

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Focusing on the capacity-building of prison and law-enforcement officers, as well as forensic medical staff, the Action will further promote human rights approach to the management of persons deprived of liberty. This has also been the overall goal the Council of Europe Office in BiH. Furthermore, it 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 EU/CoE Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey II and the Action launched in July 2019 will continue the positive direction of further aligning the prison and police practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina with European standards and the best practices.

The Action aims at addressing recommendations of the European Committee for the prevention of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment of punishment. Furthermore, it will provide support to the BiH authorities in introducing system of electronic exchange of prison-related data.

The Action will deal with these specific issues as envisaged in the four components:

Component I: improving human rights compliance of law enforcement agencies;

Component II: enhancing treatment of prisoners through the application of case management system;

Component III: strengthening treatment of forensic patients through application of specialised treatment programmes; and

Component IV: agreeing protocols for exchanging prisoner data in electronic form.

This webpage has been produced using funds of a joint project between the European Union and the Council of Europe. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.