European Union and the Council of Europe supported the initiative of the Albanian Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination to enhance the information and understanding of prisoner’s rights and non-discriminatory treatment.

The new library initiative of the Bradashesh pre-detention facility was combined with an information session for 35 remand prisoners and prison staff on the key provisions of the law “On the protection from discrimination” and the “Law on the rights and treatment of prisoners and pre-trial detainees”. In focus of this session was the protection of vulnerable categories such as minorities, foreign nationals, prisoners with mental health disorders and women.

Participants had a dynamic exchange with the Commissioner on Protection from Discrimination on challenges that prisoners face, both within the prison system and in society after release. The discussions revealed that inmates often encounter discrimination due to factors, such as origin, sexual orientation, or religion. In addition, they manifested limited access to resources, lack of employment opportunities, and social stigma, all of which can impede successful reentry and long-term rehabilitation.

The Commissioner provided inmates with guidance on how to identify and address discrimination and how to complain and report such cases, while they reaffirmed their interest to consult relevant literature such as the Council of Europe supported Prisoner Booklet, comprising practical insight on prisoner’s rights, available services, and methods for filing complaint in cases of ill-treatment.

This activity was organised in the framework of the actions  Advancing the protection from discrimination in Albania and Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania, part of  the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.