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 Prison Police Intervention Teams in North Macedonia enhance capacities on human rights safeguards and accountability

Skopje, North Macedonia 2-3 July 2025
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Prison Police Intervention Teams in North Macedonia enhance capacities on human rights safeguards and accountability

The EU and Council of Europe are providing continuous assistance to the public authorities in North Macedonia to enhance the protection of the human rights of prisoners and detained persons, in line with European standards. Twenty-three officers from Prison Police Intervention Teams attended the capacity-building sessions held in Skopje on 2-3 July 2025, focusing on the existing domestic legal framework, as well as the European Prison Rules and best practices.

Tasked with search operations, managing high and very-high risk sentenced persons, as well as escorting operations, these teams have been functioning in prisons Idrizovo and Shtip, covering all penitentiary institutions nationwide. The sessions provided practical guidance on how to identify and report the use of means of coercion, from the perspective of legal accountability.

In addition to the presentations, participants analysed case studies and exercises, discussing specific cases which they have encountered in the past. The aim of the provided expertise is to protect the human rights of the sentenced persons, while setting effective procedures that would increase the overall security of North Macedonia’s prisons.

This activity was conducted in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and its action “Strengthening the capacities of the penitentiary system in North Macedonia”.

 

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.