Representatives of the Council of Europe, together with Assistant Secretary-General Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of CTED, in side event on violent extremist prisoners held in New York on 19 June 2023.
Representatives of the Council of Europe, together with Assistant Secretary-General Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of CTED, in side event on violent extremist prisoners held in New York on 19 June 2023.
In the context of counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism (CVE) conducive to terrorism, States around the world have been dedicating increased resources to the critical task of managing violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and preventing radicalisation to violence, while promoting disengagement and rehabilitation. This stems from the awareness that the protection of societies goes beyond bringing terrorists to justice. To discuss the many aspects related to this theme, a side event — “Good practices for managing violent extremist prisoners: preventing radicalisation to violence while promoting disengagement and rehabilitation” — was held during 缅北禁地Counter-Terrorism Week 2023.
“Prison environments are highly conducive to radicalisation to terrorist violence. Prisoners may be convinced that their confinement is unjust. Their restrictive prison environment is highly susceptible to manipulation by those advancing violent extremist ideologies. This is why prisons are sometimes referred to as ‘hotbeds’ for terrorism and terrorist recruitment,” said Assistant Secretary-General Ms. Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of CTED.
One of the objectives of the side event was to identify and further good practices and experiences in working with incarcerated and recently incarcerated individuals involved in terrorism and violent extremism. Any good practices should ensure security while also maintaining respect for international human rights standards, in accordance with key instruments and guidelines such as the 缅北禁地Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (often referred to as the Nelson Mandela Rules).
H.E. Mr. Akan Rakhmetullin, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, provided an overview of his country’s programme of repatriation of persons associated with ISIL/Da’esh from Iraq and Syria. The different circumstances of those individuals required a careful and selective approach, considering both rehabilitation and punishment, as appropriate, he said. In this context, the Ambassador pointed out that Kazakhstan managed an active counter-radicalization programme in detention centres and post-release, with the active involvement of local communities and careful post-release monitoring. This was one example of the wide range of short- and medium-term projects set up in various States aimed at supporting disengagement, rehabilitation and reintegration, as well as resources developed at the international level, such as the .
Other aspects covered in the side event included security and safety concerns related to violent extremist offenders and programme/prison staff; risk assessments; ??information sharing and management; enhancing the sustainability and capacity of relevant support structures and programmes; and improving disengagement from terrorism and recidivism.
Ms. Camilla Bogn?, Expert from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Action against Terrorism Unit, in her remarks stressed the importance of incorporating a gender perspective in the prison context, as well as the necessity to avoid superficial approaches that do not take into account the different power dynamics determined by gender. Gender stereotypes may also affect both prosecutions and the delivery of rehabilitation support systems, where aspects of stigma often associated with terrorist crimes can have an impact on programme effectiveness.
Co-organized by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Council of Europe, in partnership with Austria, Finland, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the side event was held at United Nations headquarters in New York on 19 June 2023.
A Flickr album with photos from the side event is available .
A webcast recording of the event is accessible .