HF III - Enhancing co-operation in the Western Balkans in managing violent extremism in prisons and preventing further radicalisation after release

Based on the achievements from the implementation of the previous phase of the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, a joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the action continues to strengthen safety and security in the Western Balkans region by improving management and rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and other marginalised and vulnerable prisoners at risk of radicalisation. It promotes and reinforces co-operation, professional networking and exchange of knowledge and best practices between prison, probation practitioners and other stakeholders active in prevention and countering radicalisation and violent extremism in the region. It further fosters multi-sectoral and inter-agency approach in addressing the phenomena of radicalisation and violent extremism and provides guidance to the Beneficiaries in tailoring their preventive and response mechanisms aligned to the needs, priorities and context specific for each Beneficiary.
The Action focuses on three priority areas:

Ensuring sustainable management of VEPs, marginalised and vulnerable prisoners at risk of radicalisation, effective use of VEP specific assessment tools and rehabilitation methodologies and preparing them for release;
Enhancing their post-penal support after release, by assisting their full reintegration and safe return to their communities, ensuring consistency on prison-exit continuum by including all relevant stakeholders in the process (families, mentors, local community, agencies, etc.)
Strengthening the role of the probation services in supervising community sanctions and measures and supporting VEPs on early or conditional release.

The action is implemented in close cooperation with the Ministries of Justice and the P/CVE coordination mechanisms of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Republic of Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia, and includes a wide spectrum of other domestic stakeholders and civil society organizations.
The duration of the action is set at 48 months, and it is expected to be completed by 31 December 2026, with an overall budget of 1,650,000 Euros.

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Back Serbian prison system improves methodology for management and rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners

@ Council of Europe

Prison professionals from treatment and security departments of four detention facilities in Serbia have learned about the latest improvements in the methodology used in identification of signs of radicalisation, assessment of risk and needs, and rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners and prisoners at risk from radicalisation, at a training session organised on 19-20 September 2024 in Belgrade, following an earlier review of the methodology by a working group.

Prison front-line staff from detention facilities in Pančevo, Beograd, Kragujevac and the facility for women prisoners in Požarevac, practiced the use of the methodological tools adjusted and optimised to meet the needs and context of Serbian penitentiary system and rehabilitation approaches, and updated their treatment and interviewing techniques applied in daily work with this category of prisoners.

In addition to these topics, the practitioners learned about the legal and institutional framework of Serbia in the prevention of radicalisation and violent extremism and the findings of the Survey on all forms of radicalisation and violent extremism in the Republic of Serbia, conducted by the Serbian Ministry of Interior in 2023.

The training was organised under the auspices of the Beneficiary-specific component for Serbia under the regional action “Enhancing co-operation in the Western Balkans in managing violent extremism in prisons and preventing further radicalisation after release”, implemented under the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, co-funded by EU and Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Belgrade, Serbia 19-20 September 2024