The two training sessions for prison medical staff organized in Montenegro early 2018, highlighted the need for further training to improve the process of medical screening with the final aim to identify and properly document cases of ill-treatment. The training focused on the provisions of the Istanbul protocol presenting the international guidelines for effective investigation and documentation of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Taking into account that the rules and principles of the Istanbul Protocol apply to all persons coming to contact with detained and imprisoned people, a team of experts developed training material that targeted various departments (health care, security and treatment) of the Institute for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions. This constituted a novelty in prison training routines, bringing colleagues closer together and encouraging the understanding of different perspectives by providing the opportunity to exchange fresh and different views on the same subject. This kind of capacity building exercise enhance an integrated approach to the role of the penitentiary system for protection of human right and prevention of ill-treatment in their effort to meeting the Council of Europe and especially CPT standards.

The training sessions were organized within the Action “Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro that is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe”, which started on 1 October 2016 and will finish in January 2019.