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”.