Algeria

Working group meeting on prison matters in Algiers

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

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.

Meeting of the Reform Commission for the Algerian prison system in Algiers

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Published: March 1, 2019
Second meeting of the Reform Commission for the Algerian prison system in Algiers
Second meeting of the Reform Commission for the Algerian prison system in Algiers
Algeria

On 19 February 2019, the second meeting of the Reform Commission for the Algerian prison system took place in Algiers. The IRZ organised the event as part of a tandem project which is supported by the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection running from 2017 to 2019.

The Reform Commission was established in December 2017 and aims to ensure the implementation of the project and to provide support in developing strategies for reforming the Algerian prison system. The goal of this year’s meeting was to draw a conclusion of last year’s project progress and to plan the activities for the final project year of 2019.

The project work will focus on four working groups dealing with different subjects of law enforcement in Algeria. They will work on the development of a handbook for the Algerian prison system. To conclude the project, a conference is planned in Algiers at the end of 2019 to present the project results.

Representing the German side, the event was attended by experts of the prison service for North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin:

  • Kai Abraham, representing Department III of 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 – Section IV A 3 – Penal Institutions for Young Offenders and Women and Social Service, and
  • Andreas Illerhaus, Ministry of Justice for North Rhine-Westphalia, Department IV Law Enforcement, Section IV B 3 Organisation & Logistics Law Enforcement.

The meeting started with a welcome address by Mokhtar Felioune, Director of the prison authority, and Mohamed Montasser Abidi, Head of Section for North Africa and the Middle East of the IRZ. Both sides pointed out that the cooperation is considered as very positive and successful.

In the further course of the meeting, the Algerian and German working group members discussed the next steps for developing the handbook / the recommendations for the prison system in all four working groups. They also exchanged their views regarding the potentials and subjects for a potential cooperation beyond the project close. The working atmosphere in this meeting, like in previous meetings, was very constructive and productive.

Working group meeting on the reform of the Algerian prison system held in Algiers

Details
Published: December 3, 2018
A view of the seminar room
A view of the seminar room
Algeria

On 19 November 2018, a second working group meeting was held in Algiers on the subjects “Cooperation with external parties in prisons” and “Training prison staff”. The event was held as part of the IRZ project to support the reform of the Algerian prison system, which is being carried out between 2017 and 2019 using funds from the German Federal Foreign Office.

Representing the German side at the event were law enforcement experts from Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia:

  • Rudolf Baum, Head of the Social Services Department, North Rhine-Westphalia Law Enforcement;
  • Andreas Illerhaus, Ministry of Justice for North Rhine-Westphalia, Department IV Law Enforcement, Section IV B 3 Organisation & Logistics Law Enforcement;
  • Kai Abraham, an advisor in Department III at the Berlin Senate for Justice, Consumer Protection and Anti-Discrimination;
  • Alexander Gundlach, a prison inspector and lecturer at the training centre for Berlin Law Enforcement.

The aim of the working groups is to develop handbooks and recommendations for the reform of the Algerian prison system throughout the course of the project. On the subject of cooperation with external parties, the focus was mainly on work with non-governmental organisations concerning the reintegration of prisoners. Although there are many civil society associations in Algeria, they are extremely poorly organised and do not have sufficient knowledge of the specific features and problem areas concerning law enforcement. The German speakers therefore introduced the system of prison advisory committees as an opportunity to open up the system and involve various external parties in prisons. In Algeria, it is now a question of raising more awareness in civil society for the prison system and gaining them as long-term, reliable partners to work alongside.

When it came to the subject of “Training prison staff”, the focus at this meeting was on further education. The German experts presented the training opportunities available in Berlin and NRW. These include compulsory training sessions on security issues such as weapons and self-defence, as well as courses on personnel management, communication and behaviour, business and management and various health topics.

The Algerian and German participants took part in lively discussions and were extremely interested in a more in-depth exchange. The discussions on these subjects will continue at a further meeting in 2019.