Protecting human rights while preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons: South Eastern Europe workshop
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Organized by
ODIHR is organizing a regional workshop to promote independent detention monitoring and increased oversight for enhanced protection of the rights of persons deprived of liberty while preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons. The event aims to bring together national and international experts as well as detention monitors and representatives of relevant authorities and penitentiary practitioners from jurisdictions in South Eastern Europe with OSCE field operations.
The workshop seeks to raise awareness on human rights issues arising in preventing and countering VERLT in detention, and to promote dialogue and co-operation between state representatives, penitentiary practitioners and detention monitors in the jurisdictions concerned.
Contents and sessions
The workshop will feature a presentation of the ODIHR and Penal Reform International (PRI) guide for detention monitors, Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence. It will include sessions to take stock of international, regional and national initiatives and approaches for preventing and countering VERLT in prisons and related human rights risks. Furthermore, it will seek to identify specific regional challenges and good practices in monitoring human rights compliance in this field and formulate follow-up recommendations for relevant OSCE authorities, detention monitoring bodies and OSCE institutions.
After the event, ODIHR will publish a short summary report outlining the main issues and recommendations that emerged from the discussion.
Registration
Participation will be by invitation only.
Background
Preventing and countering VERLT in prisons is an area of increasing focus at the international, regional and national levels. This is due to a growing number of prisoners detained in connection with violent extremism- and terrorism-related offences, and because prisons are often seen as providing a fertile ground for recruitment to violent extremist and terrorist groups. Measures to prevent and counter VERLT in prison, however, also represent inherent human rights risks. Independent detention monitoring and increased oversight are therefore pivotal for the protection of human rights while preventing and countering VERLT in prisons effectively.
The workshop is part of ODIHR’s ongoing work on human rights and anti-terrorism issues and on the prevention of torture. The event is organized within a multi-annual project to strengthen the protection of persons deprived of liberty in the OSCE region. A similar workshop for the Central Asian region took place in November 2022 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Contact
Questions related to the workshop can be directed to Johannes Heiler, ODIHR Adviser on Anti-Terrorism Issues (johannes.heiler@odihr.pl) and Maximilian Scheid, Associate Human Rights Officer on Anti-Terrorism Issues (maximilian.scheid@odihr.pl).