The Launching Event of the Action “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe as part of the Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey took place in Tirana, Albania, on 15 November 2016.

Through this 2-year Action the Council of Europe will assist the Albanian relevant institutions to improve the protection of prisoners’ human rights and reduce reoffending after the release in line with the standards of the Council of Europe and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).

The Launching Event aimed to present to the implementation partners, stakeholders and to a wider public the objective and the expected results of the Action, thus officially marking the launching of its implementation. The event was addressed by Mr Stephen Stork, Head of Operations, Delegation of the European Union to Albania, Ms Tania Van Dijk, Horizontal Facility Coordinator, Council of Europe and by Mr Miklovan Kopani, General Director of the Albanian Prison Administration.

The event was followed by the first Steering Committee meeting where the Work Plan for the implementation of the Action was discussed and approved.