pri trains south caucasus prison officials between january and april 2011 pri convened three training workshops in armenia, azerbaijan and
PRI trains South Caucasus prison officials
Between January and April 2011 PRI convened three training workshops
in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, targeting prison officials from
the South Caucasus region who work on a day-to-day basis with life and
long-term inmates.
Approximately 90 prison officials (prison wardens, supervisors, prison
directors and other prison service providers) received PRI training on
international, regional and national human rights standards and norms
for the treatment and conditions of life and long-term sentenced
prisoners. The training workshops also addressed the question of how
to establish effective rehabilitative measures, including procedures
for pardon and early conditional release.
In Armenia, the training took place in Aghveran resort from 29 to 30
January 2011, with 14 participants from two Armenian penitentiaries
that house life and long-term sentenced prisoners (Nubarashen prison
and the former security service isolator). The event was organised
with the help of a local NGO, Civil Society Institute, and a
representative from Armenian Central Prison Administration.
In Azerbaijan, the training took place in Baku and at Gobustani prison
(which houses the majority of lifers) from 16 to 18 February 2011,
with 65 participants.
In Georgia, the training took place in Tbilisi from 15 and 16 April
2011, with 11 participants from Georgia’s two lifer penitentiaries
(Prison #6 and Women’s Prison #5).
PRI training focuses on reviewing key international and regional
standards such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners,
the UN Bangkok Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners, the
European Prison Rules of 2006, Recommendation (2003) 23 of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the “Management by
Prison Administrators of Life Sentence and other Long Term Prisoners”,
and reports of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture
(CPT) 2007 to 2010. Training sessions encompassed presentations on
international best practice, practical exercises and case studies.
PRI provided all participants with a training resource “Protecting the
rights of those facing the death penalty and life and long-term
imprisonment”. An English version of the training resource can be
downloaded here.
At the completion of the training, all participants were awarded with
a certificate.
The training of prison officials in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
serves to raise the awareness of prison officers who deal directly
with life-sentenced prisoners, about international human rights
standards and norms for the treatment and conditions of such prisoners.
PRI expects that this training will lead to an improvement in the
conditions and treatment of the 244 prisoners currently serving a life
sentence in Azerbaijan, the 99 lifers in Armenia, and 92 lifers in
Georgia.
/END
PRI’s current programme of work on the abolition of the death penalty
and alternative sanctions that respect international human rights
focuses on supporting governments and other stakeholders in
progressing towards abolition and implementation of human rights
standards in criminal justice systems, particularly concerning the
treatment of death row, life and long-term prisoners. The programme of
work is being carried out in five regions: the Middle East and North
Africa, Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, Central Asia and the Great
Lakes region of East Africa.
The programme is supported by the European Union’s Instrument for
Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).