News on ensuring justice
Albanian prison service to adopt Trauma Informed Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy aiming to improve the rehabilitation of prisoners
The European Union and Council of Europe are helping domestic prison authorities to introduce Trauma Informed Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Albanian prisons. In this framework the staff from the only women prison in Albania - “Ali Demi”, was part of the two-day training on...
Albanian prison and probation staff strengthen their skills on the rehabilitation tools and pre-release programme for violent extremist prisoners and those vulnerable to radicalisation
The Council of Europe continues to assist the penitentiary institutions in Albania by improving prison and probation staff capacities related to management of violent and extremist prisoners (VEPs), and those vulnerable to radicalisation. In this context, a 3-day advanced training for 22 prison...
Penitentiary practitioners of Montenegro enhance their skills for pre-release work and rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners and prisoners at risk of radicalisation
The management of the Montenegrin penitentiary system recognises the need for developing the skills of its front-line practitioners in proper application of specific instruments and rehabilitation approaches to strengthen the rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs), vulnerable and...
Preparation of persons serving long prison sentences for better reintegration into society
A new, comprehensive, and structured reintegration programme for persons serving long prison sentences (over 5 years), has been presented to treatment prison officers from Central, Western and Northern Serbia at the beginning of June. Presentations were organised in Novi Sad and Belgrade and...
Monitoring bodies of Montenegro further strengthen their ability to conduct visits to places of detention
The joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro” organised a specialised training for the National Preventive Mechanism and the Ministry of Justice monitoring officers on 3-4 June in Podgorica. The training...
Lawyers in Montenegro raise their capacities on the provision of legal aid to the victims of trafficking in human beings
A training programme, focusing on empowering lawyers specialising in supporting victims of trafficking in human beings took place on 16 and 17 May in Petrovac. This programme, supported by the European Union and the Council of Europe, is a result of a collaborative effort, involving the...
Support for North Macedonia’s Directorate for Execution of Sanctions in setting framework for Prison Police intervention teams
A working group of experienced prison officials and senior representatives of Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions met on 20-21 May 2024 in Skopje, to discuss the regulations of Prison Police intervention teams. Introduced as a novelty by the latest amendments to the Law on the Execution of...
The Supreme Court launches new publication on harmonisation of judicial practice in Albania
Harmonisation of domestic judicial practice, in accordance with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), is crucial to strengthening legal certainty and rule of law principles. This represents a key priority within the European Union and Council of Europe Action "Improving the...
Prosecutors from Western Balkans share their experiences on efficiency and quality in a regional seminar organised in Albania
The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) , in co-ordination with the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE) organised in Vlora a peer-to-peer workshop for prosecution offices of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo* entitled “Good practices and shared...
CORRIGENDUM - Call for proposals – CSO grants for supporting women’s access to justice in Türkiye
Within the framework of the action on “Fostering women’s access to justice in Türkiye” implemented under the joint European Union (EU) and Council of Europe (CoE) Programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” (Horizontal Facility), the Council of Europe is launching a call...
Policijska rukovodstva podržavaju praktikume o intervjuisanju i javnim okupljanjima u Bosni i Hercegovini
Nova metodologija vođenja policijskih intervjua i operativne procedure za policijsko djelovanje tokom javnih okupljanja među ključnim su pitanjima o kojima razgovara 55 rukovodilaca policijskih agencija na njihovom Trećem godišnjem koordinativnom sastanku koji se održava 16.-17. maja 2024. u...
Judges and State Prosecutors in Montenegro enhanced their knowledge on judicial and prosecutorial ethics and discipline
Judicial ethics and principles of professional conduct represent a cornerstone of judicial accountability and professionalism, which needs to be widely promoted among judges and prosecutors, including through judicial training frameworks. Over the course of the workshop held on 7 - 8 May, 35...
Exchange of experiences between the high courts of Italy and Albania on harmonisation of judicial practices
A delegation of the Albanian High Court paid a study visit on 22-24 April, at the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation to exchange experiences on harmonization of judicial practices in line with international standards, in particular the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). They explored the...
Strengthening prosecutorial ethics and integrity in Montenegro
„Disciplinary responsibility is not an internal matter of the prosecution and does not only concern the interests of the prosecutor and the Prosecutorial Council. It is a matter of public interest, closely related to the transparency, accountability and quality of justice, and inseparable from...
Launching the development the first National Strategy for Protecting Victims' Rights in Montenegro
Montenegro has initiated the development of its National Strategy for safeguarding victims' rights, aiming to establish a framework for systematic protection and support, especially for the most vulnerable groups. With the support of the EU and Council of Europe, the inaugural co-ordination...
Improved capacities of public prosecutors to implement European Court of Human Rights standards in their decisions
The first of four planned meetings for public prosecutors on how to refer to standards and case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in prosecutorial acts and on proper ways to quote ECtHR decisions, took place in Belgrade on 24 April. The meetings are organised by the joint European...
CEPEJ suorganizovala regionalnu radionicu sa ciljem razvoja „Hub-a“ posvećenog novim tehnologijama u pravosudnim sistemima
Evropska komisija za efikasnost pravosuđa (CEPEJ), u bliskoj saradnji sa Visokim sudskim i tužilačkim vijećem Bosne i Hercegovine (VSTV BiH), organizovala je regionalnu radionicu pod nazivom „Unapređenje regionalne IKT (informacione i komunikacione tehnologije) Hub inicijative VSTV-a BiH kroz...
Advisors of the Constitutional Court discussed the application of the quality of law and proportionality tests in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights and domestic courts
The joint European Union and Council of Europe action „Strengthening human rights protection in Serbia“ organised on 12 April in Belgrade, in co-operation with the Constitutional Court, a training for around 50 advisors of the Constitutional Court on the application of the quality of law and...
Empowering Legal Clinics and Civil Society Organizations to enhance Free Legal Aid system in North Macedonia
The legal clinics and civil society organisations (CSOs) authorised for the provision of primary legal aid, are instrumental in ensuring access to justice and to effectively apply protection of human rights in line with European standards. Around 25 participants attended a five-days training of...
Regional conference in Belgrade looks at the use of encrypted communication in criminal proceedings
A regional two-day conference on legal aspects of the use of data from encrypted messaging services as evidence in criminal proceedings started in Belgrade today. Its objective is to allow legal professionals from the Western Balkans region to learn from experience of their peers form other...