Security and treatment staff from 14 prisons and officers from 20 court police units in Bosnia and Herzegovina are training and working together to ensure human rights safeguards and purposeful regime in closed environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This peer training session on 6-7 February 2019 in Mostar is delivered by the joint local prisons and law enforcement training team. It is accredited to deliver activities within action "Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina", a part of the joint programme Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.

As a result, 49 court police and prison security officers will gain skills to better apply human rights standards in the existing procedures for deprivation of liberty and treatment of apprehended persons. Also, 10 prison treatment officers will be better skilled at implementing tailored made programmes to change offending behaviour of prisoners.

The law enforcement officers, both prison and police, are “grateful for this opportunity to learn from highly skilled and knowledgeable practitioners who are also experienced trainers and understand local practices. Of particular importance is that they can help us interpret CoE standards with respect to local circumstances’’. Participating in the survey aiming to establish what will they take with them upon completion of the session, majority said that they “would be happy if they confirm that their past practices were close to Council of Europe and other international standards’’.

The overall training programme is delivered based on the Guidelines for dealing with persons deprived of liberty and the Handbook on prisoner management, published earlier, following their cross-referencing with the Council of Europe conventions and recommendations.

The emphasis in this comprehensive training programme is on the recommendations of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) to the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.