Work in this thematic area focuses on prisons and police (including human rights in policing, healthcare in prisons and safeguards against torture and ill-treatment), human rights standards in the judiciary (focusing on enhancing the application of case-law of the European Court of Human Rights), the efficiency of justice systems (with a focus on analysing judicial statistics to optimise court administrations) and/or legal co-operation (which concentrate on increasing the individual independence of judges and prosecutors and the accountability of the judicial system).

Back Police professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina honour co-operation with Council of Europe in promoting human rights

Sarajevo 1 July 2025
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Police professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina honour co-operation with Council of Europe in promoting human rights

Law enforcement officers from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina gathered in Sarajevo to mark the Police Day, a special occasion dedicated to honouring their commitment to public safety and community service.

The highlight of the event was the prestigious “Golden Badge” awards ceremony, recognising officers who have demonstrated exceptional courage, dedication and professionalism in the line of duty. Among the recipients of this important acknowledgment were police officers who participated in the capacity building activities organised under the EU and Council of Europe actions in the field of deprivation of liberty, and who now serve as trainers for human rights modules.

The Council of Europe was recognised as one of the Ministry of Interior’s main international partners for its continued support to promoting policing aligned with human rights standards. The chief areas of co-operation over the past few years include joint activities aimed at designing new methodology for conducting police interviews, developing operational guidance for policing the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association and, in general, protection of human rights of persons deprived of liberty.   

“I am proud of everything we have done as a team over the past few years. We have started processes which initially were only visible from the inside, but now they are becoming visible also from the outside of the system – the citizens can now feel effects of these changes as well“, said director of the Federal Police Administration.

The ceremony concluded with a call for continued partnership between police forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina and international agencies, including European Union and Council of Europe, to further build a safer and more human rights-oriented policing in future.

The action “Further strengthening the treatment of detained and sentenced persons in line with European standards in Bosnia and Herzegovina” is being implemented as part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme, "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye."

The action is expected to improve the protection of human rights of persons deprived of liberty by equipping the law enforcement, prison, and forensic staff with the knowledge, skills, and tools to prevent ill-treatment and impunity, and facilitate detainees' and inmates’ reintegration in the community upon release from custody through, among others, electronic exchange of information and enabling conditions for the preventive monitoring of custodial practices.

 

Actions under theme i: ensuring justice
  • Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice in Albania - Phase III  
  • Supporting enforcement of judicial decisions and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania           
  • Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania  
  • Strengthening human rights treatment of detained persons based on European standards and best practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina  
  • Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice in Kosovo* -  Phase II  
  • Accountability of the judicial system in Montenegro - Phase II  
  • Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro  
  • Further enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro  
  • Strengthening independence and accountability of the judiciary in Serbia  
  • Strengthening the effective legal remedies to human rights violations in Serbia  
  • Enhancing the human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Serbia  
  • Supporting enhanced access to higher quality Free Legal Aid services in North Macedonia  
  • Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the external oversight mechanism in North Macedonia                                                                                                                                                                                                 
  • Supporting the implementation and reporting on the Action Plan on Human Rights in Turkey  
  • Judicial training institutes for Quality and Sustainability in the Western Balkans 
  • Initiative for legal certainty in the Western Balkans  
  • Enhancing penitentiary capacities in addressing radicalisation in prisons in the Western Balkans  
  • Towards a better evaluation of the results of judicial reform efforts in the Western Balkans  
  • Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) in the Western Balkans 
  • PACE cooperation with the parliamentary assemblies with a view to achieving legislative improvements in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.