On 25 October 2017, project team in cooperation with Kosovo* Ombudsperson Institution organized awareness raising workshop on the role and mandate of the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture with sectorial professionals from Gjilan region. More than 30 managerial and professional staff from police, courts, penitentiary, mental health and social care institutions and the most relevant international and civil society organizations participated and actively contributed to debates and professional exchange and interaction.

The workshop provided room for introduction of the role and mandate of the mechanism and key aspects of its preventive monitoring work along with explanation of international and European standards and domestic legislation in the field of prevention of torture and ill treatment. It further provided a platform for discussion on modalities for improvement of inter-institutional cooperation and coordination for better protection of rights of persons deprived of liberty. As one of the outcomes, participants agreed to establish a coordination mechanism which would enable regular meetings, communication and cooperation among all relevant stakeholders in this field.  

The awareness raising round table in Gjilan was the third out of six such events foreseen by the project targeting professionals directly working with persons deprived of liberty at local and community level. The follow up actions will include lectures and workshops specialized for correctional service and its cadets in the academy for public safety in Vushtrri as well as for students of the law faculty in Pristina.