Following the decision of the Greek authorities to designate two prisons for sexual offenders, and invitation of the General Secretariat for Anti-crime Policy, Ministry of Citizen Protection, Council of Europe presented the Recommendation CM/Rec (2021)6 regarding the assessment, management and reintegration of persons accused or convicted of a sexual offence as adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 20 October 2021.

To this end, Council of Europe consultants and representatives of Council of Europe met in Athens with the Secretary General for Anticrime Policy at the Ministry of Citizen Protection Mr. Aristos Perris, senior officials of the General Secretariat for Anticrime Policy and, most importantly, with the prison Director and deputy prison Director of the two sex-offenders’ prisons.

The experience and best practices in selected Council of Europe member States such as United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands were presented by Council of Europe consultants who reviewed critically the working practices and methods currently applied in Greece.

Council of Europe emphasized the need for risk assessment, treatment and proper management of sexual offenders based on a person-centered approach, evidence-based practice, and the involvement of multi‑disciplinary teams of professionals. Victims and community support, the role of Probation, the staff selection and training as well as the media and communications strategy to be followed, were also discussed.

The ultimate objective of the new prisons should be reintegration of the sexual offenders. To this end, Council of Europe will follow up the implementation of the two Ministerial Decisions for the designation of two sex-offenders’ only prisons and stands at the disposal of Greek authorities for further support in view of the European Court of Human Rights and other member States jurisprudence and practices, as well as the findings of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).