Introduction
The action “Enhancing co-operation in the Western Balkans in managing violent extremism in prisons and preventing further radicalisation after release” is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” running from 2023 until 2026. The action will continue promoting regional co-operation, professional networking, exchange of information among professionals coming from penitentiary, probation services and other relevant agencies/sectors/stakeholders that will improve their capacities to prevent and address radicalisation and violent extremism in prisons and ensure the rehabilitation results with prisoners are kept up upon their release in the communities.
What is the goal(s) and objective(s) of the action?
The action’s main goal is to strengthen the safety and security of communities in the Western Balkans by improving management and rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and other marginalized and vulnerable prisoners at risk from radicalisation while in prison and reducing recidivism of these upon their release.
The action will focus on three priority areas:
- rehabilitation of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and prisoners who are marginalised and vulnerable, at risk from radicalisation during incarceration or upon their return back to communities;
- the post-penal and reintegration support to VEPs and other targeted prisoners by applying ‘whole-of-the-society’ assistance to their full reintegration, stabilisation;
- raising of awareness and knowledge of the probation and other relevant professionals on the institute of conditional/early release, community sanctions and measures and the related Council of Europe and other
international standards in the field of strengthening the role of the probation services in supervising community sanctions
Who benefits from the action?
Main beneficiary institutions:
- Institutions of the Ministry of Justice(s) in the Western Balkans (penitentiary and probation services)
- the domestic co-ordination mechanisms for prevention and countering violent extremism and terrorism in all 6 WB Beneficiaries
- other institutions/agencies such as: the Ministry for Internal Affairs, Ministry of Education, law enforcement authorities, judiciary, security/intelligence agencies, employment agencies, social welfare centres, local authorities/municipalities, civil society
- society as a whole
The end beneficiaries are radicalised prisoners, violent extremist prisoners (VEPs), and prisoners who fall under category of marginalised and vulnerable and as such at risk from radicalisation during their sentence serving or upon release.
How does the action work?
The action builds on results of the Horizontal Facility II regional action “Enhancing penitentiary capacities in addressing radicalisation in prisons in the Western Balkans”. It will continue assisting Beneficiaries tailor their policies and adjust their approaches in prevention and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) enhancing know-how of practitioners, providing them with insight into best practices, relevant CoE and other international standards in this field. The action will implement the activities through the regional and Beneficiary-specific interventions and continue facilitating professional networking and information and experience sharing in the Western Balkans.
