Discussions about the Progress of the Prison System Reform



May, 21.- Regular working meeting of Ministers of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of Srpska, in the organization of Council of Europe, will be held on May 27 and 28, 2008, at mountain Vlašić, in order to consider the results of previously taken measures for improvement of prison systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to agree the further steps of common cooperation.  

Discussion about development of system of execution of criminal sanctions will be related to harmonization of criteria and standards (practices, procedures and laws), health care of persons deprived of liberty, developing budget, reactions to the reports from European Commission of Human Rights and European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and creating of common data base of information regarding the prisoners. 

As a member of Council of Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past years significantly reformed the system of execution of criminal sanctions, from passing the new provisions and establishing of new institutions to improving conditions and standards of serving prison and detention measures. There are 46 finished legal and by-law acts, with over 1200 legal norms harmonized with European Conventions and standards. Besides establishing Detention Unit of B&H, the Project of State Prison Construction is being realized, and through the CoE projects prison policemen are continuously trained in the application of current European Prison Rules.