The Council of Europe joined efforts with the Albanian Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination to discuss with remand prisoners in Elbasan pre-detention centre their rights, treatment and protection from discrimination.

Namely, on the occasion of promoting a new library in Bradashesh pre-detention institution on 31 October 2024, a meeting was held with 35 remand prisoners and prison staff to explain them the prisoner rights that derive from the law “On the protection from discrimination”. This legislation emphasises the principles of equality before the law and non-discrimination, especially as regards the protection of vulnerable categories of prisoners, such as minorities, foreign nationals, prisoners with mental health disorders and women. Moreover, the law “On the rights and treatment of prisoners and pre-trial detainees” drafted with the assistance of the Council of Europe in 2021 was presented, with its reference to the European Prison Rules and the findings of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment. This law integrates Council of Europe standards in the national legislation, stipulating a treatment for prisoners respecting their rights and dignity, and preventing conduct of prison staff that can amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

The dialog held with prisoners shed more light on their views on prison conditions, interests related to activities, as well as reconfirmed their interest to have access to “The prisoner booklet”, which lists prisoners’ rights, services in prison and effective means of complaint in case of ill-treatment. “The prisoner booklet” was developed by the project “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania” during the implementation of Horizontal Facility II.

This meeting was organised upon the initiative of the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, in cooperation with actions  “Advancing the protection from discrimination in Albania” and “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania”, both part of a joint initiative of the European Union and Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye 2023-2026”.