Working group meeting on prison matters in Algiers
- Details
- Published: April 15, 2019

On 3 and 4 April 2019, the third working group meeting was held in Algiers to discuss “The humane treatment of prisoners during admission” and “Individual enforcement plans and classification”. The IRZ organised the event as part of a tandem project, which is being supported by the German Foreign Office and the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and is running from 2017 to 2019.
The cooperation in four themed working groups should guarantee that the project fulfils as many requirements as possible. The focus of the meeting was on continuing to work on a handbook and recommendations for the Algerian prison system, which are the planned final product for the project.
Representing the German side at the event on behalf of the IRZ were the following law enforcement experts from North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin:
- Kai Abraham, representing Department III at the Berlin Senate Administration for Justice, Consumer Protection and Anti-discrimination;
- Mathias Nagel, representing Department III at the Berlin Senate Administration for Justice, Consumer Protection and Anti-discrimination;
- Dr. Stefan Cassone, Ministry of Justice for North Rhine-Westphalia, Department IV Law Enforcement, and
- Ralf Teschner, a prison inspector at the Essen penal institution.
During the working group on “The humane treatment of prisoners during admission”, the participants discussed the medical examination by a doctor during the prisoner admission process, amongst other subjects. The experts from North Rhine-Westphalia had drawn up a check list for the examination, which they adapted to the situation and requirements of the Algerian prison system with the Algerian members of the working group. As well as other chapters on various steps to be taken during the admission process, this check list will become part of the handbook.
In the second working group, participants worked on the chapters on the enforcement plan and classification for the handbook. The two experts from the Berlin Senate Administration had prepared two sample forms for an individual enforcement plan and for updating or checking this plan, which they discussed with their Algerian partners.
Overall, the participants found the meeting to be a success, not least with regard to the development of the handbook and recommendations. Both working groups will meet up once again this year in Algiers to finish working on the final products. Two more meetings are also planned this year for the two other working groups for the project, which are concerned with cooperation with external parties and further training of prison staff. A conference is planned for November 2019 in Algiers to conclude the project.