This guide seeks to provide detention monitors with an enhanced understanding of VERLT and the key human rights issues arising in the context of preventing and countering VERLT in prisons, including the prevention of torture and other ill-treatment, as well as gender considerations.
As part of this, this guide explores the vital need to ensure effective steps toward the rehabilitation and reintegration of violent extremist prisoners while in prison to help prepare for their release. It aims to offer practical guidance on how to address the issue of VERLT in prisons when carrying out detention monitoring.
The guide highlights the importance of independent monitoring of prison-based measures to address, prevent, and counter-terrorism and VERLT.
It provides detention monitors with background information on terrorism and VERLT in general, and in the prison context in particular (Part 1). It then explores the human rights risk areas that may arise in preventing and countering terrorism and VERLT in prisons and identifies how monitors may address these (Part 2).
For each human rights risk area, there are suggested questions specifically related to terrorism and VERLT in prisons for detention monitors to look into in the course of their work, as well as sections offering practical advice for detention monitors on how to prepare, undertake and follow up on their monitoring work. PDF 104 pgs
Part 1: Why are terrorism and violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism (VERLT) relevant for detention monitors?
a) Understanding VERLT
b) Conceptual challenges
c) Drivers of VERLT
d) Understanding VERLT inside prisons
e) Factors conducive to VERLT in prisons
f) Specific categories of detainees
g) Practical challenges for detention monitors
h) Access to facilities, detainees and documentation
i) Drafting reports and recommendations
Part 2: What are the main human rights issues related to VERLT in prisons?
a) Human rights risk area 1: Classification, risk and needs assessments
b) Use of indicators to identify prisoners “vulnerable” to VERLT
c) Risk and needs assessments tools
d) Risk and needs assessments for specific categories of prisoners
e) Arbitrary assessments and over-classification
f) Bias and discrimination
g) The right to be heard and to challenge outcomes of risk and needs assessments
h) The sharing of information and the right to privacy
i) Questions for monitors: Classification, risk and needs assessments
Tips for monitors 1: Planning and preparing visits
a) Human rights risk area 2: The prison regime
b) Solitary confinement
c) Instruments of restraint, use of force and transfers
d) Body and cell searches
e) Contact with the outside world
f) Privileged lawyer-client relationship
g) Healthcare provisions
h) Requests and complaint mechanisms
i) Questions for monitors: The prison regime
j) Tips for monitors 2: Conducting interviews
j) Human Rights Risk Area 3: Rehabilitation and reintegration programmes
k) Deradicalization and disengagement programmes
l) Key principles of disengagement programmes
m) Limited access to activities
n) Coerced participation and the imperative of informed consent
o) Infringements on freedom of opinion and freedom of thought, conscience and religion
p) Misuse of programmes for intelligence-gathering purposes
q) Post-release protective measures for detainees and their families
r) Reintegration and conditions post-release
s) Questions for detention monitors: Rehabilitation and reintegration
Tips for monitors 3: The composition of the detention monitoring team
a) Human rights risk area 4: Institutional and staff issues
b) Recruitment
c) Training
d) Working conditions
e) Questions for detention monitors: Institutional and staff issues
Tips for monitors 4: Communicating with the general public and state authorities
Penal Reform International
OSCE ODIHR & PRI (2021). Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence. A Guide for Detention Monitors. Penal Reform International, London.
https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/OHDIR_PRI_VERLT_Guide_for_Detention_Monitors.pdf
