Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania

As part of the European Union and Council of Europe programmatic framework “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey” (Horizontal Facility), the Council of Europe implemented the Action “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania”, in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice, the Directorate General of the Prison Administration and with other relevant institutions and stakeholders, including civil society organisations active in the penitentiary field.

Being party to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as well as the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (ECPT) Albania is obliged to eradicate torture and other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the findings of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) during country visits have revealed the necessity that the Prison Administration and other relevant institutions in Albania increase their efforts to improve the protection of prisoners’ human rights and support the rehabilitation of prisoners (to reintegrate them into society after their release in order to reduce reoffending).

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Back Suicide prevention session for 70 multidisciplinary staff in Albania

© Council of Europe Programme Office in Tirana

With the aim to improve prison staff’s knowledge and practices on mental health care, a four-day training session on suicide prevention took place on 16-19 July in Lezhë and Korçë, Albania.

The training was based on Council of Europe (CoE) and European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment standards on mental health and the CoE suicide prevention strategy drafted by the project.

The training session, led by two international experts on mental health, involved presentations, discussions and case studies based on recent cases from Albanian prison health care. At the end of the training session participants, including 70 medical, security and social staff from selected prisons, enriched their knowledge and practical skills on how to best enforce CoE human rights standards for mental health patients.

The training session was organized within the scope of the Action “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania”, co-funded by the European Union and the CoE within the “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey” and implemented by the CoE.

Lezhe and Korce 16-19 July 2018