Back First Horizontal Facility project launched in Skopje

First Horizontal Facility project launched in Skopje

The Project ‘’Strengthening the protection of the rights of sentenced persons’’, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe as part of the "Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey" and implemented by the Council of Europe, was successfully launched on 29 June 2016 in Skopje.

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the protection of the rights of sentenced persons in line with the Council of Europe standards. This objective shall be accomplished through introduction of effective mechanisms for dealing with cases of ill-treatment and corruption in prisons, further enhancement of the internal prison inspection system, improvement of the treatment of sentenced persons, introduction of an effective prison management and mechanisms for combatting inter-prisoner violence and other activities aiming to strengthen the protection of the rights of sentenced persons.

The welcoming speech at the conference was delivered by:

  • Mr Valdet Xhaferi, Minister of Justice
  • Mr Lukaš Holub, Head of Political and Information Section, Delegation of the European Union
  • Ms Tania Van Dijk, Coordinator of the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey, Council of Europe.

More than 50 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Justice and other Government officials, Directorate for Execution of Sanctions, prison governors, the Ombudsman office, prosecutors, judges, international organizations, as well as representatives from the NGO sector and academics, were present at the event, followed with good media coverage.

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Skopje 29 June 2016
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Action summary

The Council of Europe will assist the national authorities in overcoming the identified shortcomings and practical deficiencies related to the treatment of sentenced persons in the beneficiary country. The project will be implemented in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice (Directorate for Execution of Sanctions), and will include a wider group of national partners and stakeholders, including the Ombudsman and the National Preventive Mechanism, the Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil Rights and Freedoms, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and civil society organisations active in the penitentiary field and combatting ill-treatment and impunity.

This action is part of the Council of Europe/European Union Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey.

Overall objective

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the protection of the rights of sentenced persons in line with the Council of Europe standards.

Outcomes and expected outputs

Objective 1: To introduce effective prison management and mechanisms for combatting inter-prisoner violence, and further enhance the internal prison inspection system

Expected outputs:

  • The capacity of prison managers and staff to address inter-prisoner violence is enhanced
  • The dynamic security concept is introduced and established in the penitentiary institutions
  • The professional capacities of prison managers and DECS structures is strengthened
  • The capacities of the prison inspection mechanism improved

Objective 2: To improve the treatment of sentenced persons through introduction and implementation of specific treatment programmes

Expected outputs:

  • The treatment of the sentenced persons improved through introduction and implementation of specific treatment programmes
  • A Specific treatment programme for violent offenders is developed and introduced into the penitentiary system

Objective 3: To strengthen the protection of the rights of sentenced persons through introducing effective mechanisms for dealing with cases of ill-treatment and corruption in prisons

Expected outputs:

  • The protection of the human dignity and integrity of sentenced persons in a non-discriminatory and impartial manner improved
  • More effective mechanisms for prevention or dealing with cases of ill-treatment or corrupt practice by prison staff are set in place.
  • An effective discipline system that will contribute to successful rehabilitation of sentenced persons is developed.

This webpage has been produced using funds of a joint project between the European Union and the Council of Europe.  The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.

PROJECT AT A GLANCE
  • Duration: 30 months (29 June 2016 - 30 November 2018)
  • Beneficiaries/Partners: Ministry of Justice (Directorate for Execution of Sanctions), the Ombudsman and the National Preventive Mechanism, the Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil Rights and Freedoms, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and other national partners, stakeholders and civil society organisations
  • Funded: The European Union and the Council of Europe
  • Budget: 950,000 EUR
project contacts

Donche Boshkovski, Strasbourg

Petar Jordanoski, Skopje