Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors

With an increasing focus at the international, regional and national levels on preventing and countering radicalization leading to terrorism or violence (VERLT), particularly in the prison context, states often adopt measures that can have profound impacts on an individual’s human rights. Scrutiny by independent monitors is, therefore, pivotal in ensuring that all such measures are based on the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Published together with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), this guide underlines the importance of independent detention monitoring and looks in detail at a number of specific human rights risk areas in preventing and combatting VERLT in a prison context. For each of those risk areas, the guide highlights relevant issues for detention monitors to consider and assess in carrying out their work; and it discusses specific practical challenges that may arise when examining VERLT-related issues in detention monitoring.