Kosovo

Practical exchange on the German prison system

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Published: July 17, 2026
The delegation from the Kosovan Prison Service in Plötzensee
The delegation from the Kosovan Prison Service in Plötzensee
Kosovo

Plötzensee, Lichtenberg, the open prison system: A high-level delegation from the Kosovar Prison Service visited various prisons across Berlin in early July 2026 as part of a study tour organised by IRZ. This was a targeted continuation of a dialogue that had begun in 2025 with the IRZ seminar ‘Dealing with and Protecting Vulnerable Groups in Custody’. The trip focused on practical insights into the German prison system, as well as discussions on protection standards, rehabilitation and cooperation between various stakeholders in the prison system.

Discussions on an equal footing

The delegation held expert discussions with representatives from Freie Hilfe Berlin e. V., the Senate Department for Justice and Consumer Protection, and various Berlin correctional institutions. Topics discussed included the treatment of vulnerable groups within the prison system, rehabilitation and treatment programmes, cooperation between the prison service and probation services, and transition management on the path to a life free from crime.

Three prisons, three perspectives

The study trip proved particularly valuable where theory met practice: at the Berlin Open Prison, the Berlin-Lichtenberg Women’s Prison and Plötzensee Prison. Three institutions with very different focuses – ranging from open to closed detention, and from mixed-gender to women-only approaches – and thus three opportunities to discuss tried-and-tested approaches directly on site and explore their applicability to the Kosovar context.

For the Kosovar delegation, this combination of discussions and insights into day-to-day prison life offered the chance to share their own experiences and reform plans, whilst at the same time gaining an understanding of various aspects of the German prison system. Particular emphasis was placed on the close cooperation between state and civil society actors, the wide range of rehabilitation programmes on offer, and the human rights-based approach to vulnerable groups and prisoners.

A model for Europe

The lasting impact of this visit was made clear by the head of the delegation, Ismail Dibrani, Director-General of the Kosovo Prison Service, in his closing remarks: “For the Kosovo Prison Service, this study visit was one of the most important ever. What we have seen over the past few days is a model – not only for us, but for the whole of Europe. One of the most important aspects was the cooperation with civil society and the respectful treatment of prisoners. We would like to implement these best practices in our country in future. Special thanks go to the German Government for its ongoing support of Kosovo throughout all stages of its development, and to the IRZ for organising and facilitating this extremely important study visit,” Dibrani continued.

IRZ will continue to support German-Kosovar cooperation in the field of the prison service and assist its partner institutions in further strengthening a prison system based on the rule of law and focused on rehabilitation.

Witness protection in criminal proceedings

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Published: October 9, 2025
IRZ seminar on ‘Protection of witnesses in criminal proceedings’ on 29 and 30 September 2025 in Pristina
IRZ seminar on ‘Protection of witnesses in criminal proceedings’ on 29 and 30 September 2025 in Pristina
Kosovo

At the end of September, experts from Germany and Kosovo met in Pristina to discuss current legal challenges and solutions relating to witness protection, leniency programmes and juvenile criminal proceedings.

During the intensive discussions, judges and prosecutors exchanged their expertise, questioned existing systems and jointly developed new approaches. This not only deepened the participants' understanding of the international handling of witness and defendant rights, but also contributed to improving judicial practice in Kosovo. In our opinion, this is an important step in the further training of professionals and the development of the Kosovar legal system.

We would like to express our sincere thanks not only to our co-organiser, the Kosovo Judicial Academy (KJA), but also to Prof. Dr Georg Güntge, Chief Public Prosecutor and Permanent Representative of the Attorney General of Schleswig-Holstein, and Prof. Dr Michael Gubitz, lawyer and specialist in criminal law. Their presentations provided fascinating insights into German criminal law, particularly the practical aspects of witness protection and plea bargaining. The special features of German juvenile criminal proceedings and the treatment of underage defendants were also discussed in detail.

Of course, the Kosovar participants also benefited from the experience of local experts: Mr Ali Kutllovci, judge at the Court of Appeal, and Mr Agron Qalaj, public prosecutor in the Office of the Prosecutor General of Kosovo, enriched the discussion with valuable perspectives from everyday judicial practice in Kosovo.

Vulnerable people in the penal system

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Published: July 8, 2025
Participants in the workshop ‘Dealing with and protecting vulnerable groups in detention’
Participants in the workshop ‘Dealing with and protecting vulnerable groups in detention’
Kosovo

The challenges faced by drug addicts, mentally ill people, female prisoners and young offenders in the penal system are immense. These vulnerable groups need targeted protection and adequate care to ensure their safety, particularly during their time in prison. They also struggle with many problems after serving their sentences, which is why stable support structures for their resocialisation are essential to enable them to make a successful transition back into society.

The IRZ has addressed this important issue as part of its ongoing cooperation with the prison service and probation service in Kosovo by holding a two-day workshop for professionals working in the Kosovan prison service.

The Kosovar Director General of the Prison Service, Ismail Dibrani, the Director General of the Kosovo Probation Service, Arsim Tahiri, and the Deputy Head of the German Embassy in Pristina, Christian Böttcher, emphasised at the start of the workshop the importance of treating vulnerable groups in custody with care. Measures taken by the Kosovar justice system to prevent violence, abuse and discrimination, as well as humane treatment in general, are essential. The German experts from the Women's Prison in Berlin explained the legal framework of the penal system in Germany and the special needs of vulnerable prisoners. They also provided practical insights into rehabilitation strategies and the close cooperation between state and non-state actors, including in the field of probation.

This event in June 2025 highlighted the advantages of interdisciplinary cooperation between the penal system and probation services and raised participants' awareness of the needs of particularly vulnerable prisoners. The IRZ will definitely continue to work on developing the existing legal and institutional framework!