29th Council of Europe Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services and EuroPris Annual General Meeting Focus on Human Rights and Public Security
On June 24-25, 2024, Mindaugas Kairys, Director General of the Lithuanian Prison Service, participated in the 29th Council of Europe Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services (CDPPS) "Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law at the Heart of Prisons and Probation," as well as the EuroPris Annual General Meeting, held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Iliana Iotova, Vice-President of Bulgaria, and Hanne Juncher, Director of the Directorate of Security, Integrity, and Rule of Law, DGI: Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe. Keynote speeches were delivered by Maria Pavlova, Minister of Justice of Bulgaria, and Dirk Van Zyl Smit, Emeritus Professor of Criminology from the United Kingdom.
The conference provided a platform for robust discussions and workshops on critical topics, including: Combatting organised crime groups; Autonomy of prisoners, Net-widening in probation, Managing returnees and their families, The role of victims in the rehabilitation process, The evolution of high-risk prison regimes – ensuring safety while respecting human rights and rehabilitation needs. Participants engaged in group work, shared experiences, and explored new ideas and approaches, all from a humanitarian perspective, emphasizing the rehabilitation and resocialization of prisoners and the importance of public safety.
A highlight of the event was a visit to the new Samoranovo prison, a facility designed without bars and based on the Norwegian model.
The EuroPris Annual General Meeting featured the presentation and unanimous approval of the Annual Report 2023, Financial Report 2023, Planning 2024/2025, and Budget 2025. EuroPris Vice President Jan-Eric Sandlie discussed the EuroPris Strategy for 2025-2028, and new Board members were elected. The event concluded with the Ceremonial Prison Achievement Award.
Last updated: 16-07-2024
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