Kosovo

Vulnerable people in the penal system

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!

Workshop on preventing and combating domestic violence and violence against women

Together with the Kosovan police, the IRZ held the above-mentioned workshop in Pristina from 20 to 21 February 2025 as a kick-off event for the supra-regional project ‘Promoting the rule of law in the Western Balkans’, which is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

The almost 40 police officers from across Kosovo, as well as representatives from the Public Prosecutors Office and the probation service, first received an overview from the Kosovan side of the development of new capacities within the relevant police departments for dealing with domestic violence. For example, there are specially designed rooms for the protection of victims, information cards with contact and support options, intensified prevention campaigns and the development of a central database on cases of domestic violence. The introduction of electronic ankle bracelets is also planned. The German experts explained how the police handle cases of domestic violence and police measures in Germany. They described the work with perpetrators and victims, as well as the cooperation with family courts and the possibilities for protection under criminal and civil law. On the basis of the presented regulations of the German Protection against Violence Act in comparison to the Kosovan law adopted in 2023, there were some lively discussions and questions on points such as victim protection, protection orders and addiction problems.

The problems and challenges in implementing the law on domestic violence were discussed constructively and sometimes controversially, but ultimately promoted mutual understanding for the further implementation of the law. Another positive aspect to be highlighted is the increased awareness and transparency in cases of domestic violence in Kosovo. However, the number of unreported assaults is still high, as it is in Germany. During the exchange, it became clear that many cases in Kosovo are not reported because, according to the participants, the number of women not in employment is comparatively high, particularly in rural areas, and there is often a ‘culture of trivialising’ domestic violence.