News on ensuring justice
Continuation of the inter judicial dialogue on application of the European Convention on Human Rights at the national level
The Round table dedicated to strengthening the application of human rights standards in the practices of the Constitutional and regular courts in Montenegro, took place on 9 July 2024 in Podgorica. This event is a part of the overall efforts aimed at achieving two interrelated goals:...
Improving detection of child trafficking instances in schools in Serbia
Child trafficking is a widespread and underreported phenomenon. According to official data from the Serbian Centre for Human Trafficking Victims’ Protection, the percentage of children among the identified victims of trafficking in Serbia has significantly increased in 2023 and amounts to 62%...
Lawyers in North Macedonia enhance their skills for providing Free Legal Aid
Lawyers providing secondary legal aid are crucial in ensuring access to justice and the effective protection of human rights in line with European standards. Supported by the European Union and the Council of Europe’s joint programme, “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye,” and...
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...
CEPEJ supports mediation awareness for judges in Albania
An awareness raising workshop on referral to mediation was organised with 15 magistrates and graduating magistrates of Albania with CEPEJ experts, in co-operation with the School of Magistrates and the National Mediation Chamber of Albania. The activity organised with the support of EU and...
High Inspector of Justice in Albania enhances capacities on thematic inspections
The European Union and the Council of Europe are supporting the capacities of the High Inspector of Justice (HIJ) in Albania with the methodology for preparing and conducting classic thematic inspection missions, based on best European standards and practices. Participating in a training seminar...
Reiterating commitment of public administrative institutions to strengthen institutional co-operation in effectively addressing property related claims
The first Co-ordination Roundtable focusing on the treatment of property rights among public administrative institutions was held at the premises of Europe House, in Tirana, on 26 June. This activity was held in the framework of the European Union and the Council of Europe continuous assistance...
Establishing of a working alliance with a prisoner is the main pre-requisite to rehabilitation, preparation for release and social reintegration
The European Union and the Council of Europe continue to assist the penitentiary institutions in Kosovo* by strengthening their capacities related to management of violent and extremist prisoners (VEPs), and those vulnerable to radicalisation. Practical application of the instruments used in...
Professional judgment on violent extremist and radicalised prisoners has to be verifiable and factual, concluded prison practitioners from Serbia
How to identify signs of radicalisation, perform assessment of risk and make a professional judgment on violent extremist prisoners or marginalised and vulnerable prisoners at risk from radicalisation, and tailor their rehabilitation path, were the main topics discussed at the two-day training...
Revising oversight procedures in North Macedonia’s prisons
Improving the prison oversight and reporting procedures put in place by the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions (DES) of North Macedonia was in the focus of the working group that met on 17-18 June 2024. Guided by a Council of Europe international consultant, the DES oversight team visited...
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...
DÜZELTME - Teklif Çağrısı – Türkiye’de Kadınların Adalete Erişimini Desteklemeye Yönelik STK Hibeleri
Avrupa Birliği ve Avrupa Konseyi Ortak Programı “Batı Balkanlar ve Türkiye için Yatay Destek” kapsamında yürütülmekte olan “Türkiye’de Kadınların Adalete Erişiminin Desteklenmesi” projesi çerçevesinde, Türkiye’de faaliyet gösteren sivil toplum kuruluşlarına (STK) yönelik bir hibe çağrısı...
Police managers in Bosnia and Herzegovina affirm manuals on interviewing and public gatherings
The new methodology for conducting police interviews and operational procedures for policing public gatherings were the key issues discussed at the meeting of 55 most senior police officials at their 3rd annual co-ordination meeting held on 16-17 May 2023 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)....