Workshops on the treatment of imprisoned people in Qatar
In Doha, Qatar, the National Human Rights Committee, the Ministry of Interior’s Human Rights Department, the General Directorate of Penal and Correctional Institutions and Penal Reform International launched a series of workshops aimed at enhancing the treatment of people in prison in correctional and penal institutions, in accordance with international standards and national legislation. The launch took place in the presence of Major General Nasser Mohammed Issa Al-Sayed, Director of the Penal and Correctional Institutions Department; Mr. Sultan bin Hassan Al-Jamali, Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Committee; Brigadier General Saad Al Dosari, Deputy Director of the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Interior; as well as representatives from various departments of the Ministry of Interior and the National Human Rights Committee.
The first in a series of training workshops on enhancing the treatment of people in prison in Qatar’s Penal & Correctional Institutions in line with international standards and national legislation was launched in the capital, Doha. Speakers at the opening session emphasised the importance of building the capacities of personnel working in the penal and correctional sectors to implement international human rights standards and ensure the humane treatment of people in prison. They highlighted the need for comprehensive training and qualification of all staff, the value of coordination and networking among professionals across various disciplines, and the practical mechanisms for translating standards from policy into practice on the ground. The workshop also aimed to equip participants with the fundamentals and priorities of correctional work grounded in a human rights-based approach, to promote gender-sensitive responses, and to ensure a balanced approach between delivering public security services and safeguarding the rights of imprisoned people across all classifications and categories.
In its statement, Penal Reform International reaffirmed its cooperation and partnership with the National Human Rights Committee, particularly in the areas of training and capacity building, as well as joint participation in forums and conferences aimed at sustaining professionals development in the field of justice sector personal and facilitating the exchange of experiences among countries in the region.
The training programme consisted of a series of two-day workshops, three in total, each lasting two days, taking place between 22 and 30 June 2025.A total of 90 participants from the penal and correctional institutions of the Ministry of Interior in Qatar took part in the workshops.
“The workshops focused on recent developments in international standards for the treatment of people in prison and on practical approaches to implementing these standards in accordance with national legislation and a human rights-based approach.
