The Council of Europe assisted the local authorities in overcoming the identified shortcomings and practical deficiencies related to the treatment of apprehended persons under police custody in Kosovo. The project was implemented in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice (Correctional Service and Prison Inspectorate) and the Ministry of Health (Prison Healthcare Department). It also included a wider group of local stakeholders, such as the Ombudperson and the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), the Public Prosecutor’s Office, judiciary and civil society organisations.

The Project was co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe as part of the “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey” (Horizontal Facility) and was implemented by the Council of Europe. It aimed at providing technical assistance and expertise in the areas of ensuring justice, fighting corruption, economic crime and money laundering ; promoting freedom of expression and information ; promoting anti-discrimination and protection of the rights of vulnerable groups, with the aim to assist the authorities in implementing key recommendations of relevant CoE bodies, prioritised according to the needs within the enlargement negociations of the European Union.

The project was completed by 31 August 2018 with an overall budget of 620 000 EUR.