CoE Anti-Terrorism Director Koedjikov to Eurofora on Handbook + Religion v. Radicalisation in Prison

    *Strasbourg./CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/-  CoE's Director on Action against Terrorism, including via the Internet, Ivan Koedjikov, speaking to "Eurofora", confirmed that the PanEuropean Organisation intends to Publish asap. a "Hanbook"  on how to Struggle against Radicalisation in Prisons, focusing on the "Implementation" of CoE's "'Guidelines" (decided by its Committee of Ministers on March 2016), which will contain, mainly "Best Practices" ideas gathered thoughout its 47 Member States, ECHR's relevant case-Law, etc.

    This New Tool is destinated to be used, in their everyday practice, by All relevant Actors on Prisons : Public Administration, Guardians, Chaplains, Anti-Terrorism Officials, NGOs, etc, he pointed out. Currently Drafted by a CoE's Group of Experts, it will have, as usual, to be presented, debated and endorsed by the PanEuropean Organisation's Committee of Ministers.

    Koedjikov also said that Today's input by Christian and other European Religious Officials comes Timely, and its Conclusions could be taken into account by the CoE, as a useful Contribution of one among the main Actors of Civil Society, (See Infra).

    He didn't also exclude a priori the suggestion earlier made by Vatican's Permanent Representative to the CoE, Mgr Paolo Rudelli, for a "Consultation of Civil Society" to be eventualy made before that forthcminfg Publication of this New, Practical Tool, even if he appeared to Hesitate, particularly as far as it concerns the possible Financial "Cost" of such a move, in the current context of Budgets' Restrictions.

    -"Spiritual Well being of People inside and outside Prisons" is important, and "without involving All Actors, it will not be possible to Prevent Radicalisation", he observed Earlier, as a Keynote Speaker at CoE's Conference, organized together with Religious Officials from all Christian Denominations and a Group of Musims,  on "Radicalisation in Prisons".

 

    - In fact, the overall "Problem of Radicalisation" is provoked both "through the Internet" and "inside Prisons". "Internet is the Biggest" factor, but "Prisons", which are comparatively "less" influential, nevertheless, have recently become "very Spectacular" as a factor of Radicalisation, (considering f.ex. also the case of "Koulibaly", the Terrorist who killed Civilian People at a Jewish Shop, in association with those who Killed "Charlie Hebdo"'s critical Journalists, back on Januray 2015 in Paris), observed the competent CoE's Anti-Terrorism Director, who is in charge of Both Internet and Ordinary Crimes.

    - On the "Internet" side of that Terrorist Radicalisation Problem, "we (CoE) are currently Trying to Work Together with Providers", i.e. Web Access Companies, Ivan Koeddjikov said to "Eurofora".  Inter alia, "Internet Never Forgets, Never Forgives", he added earlier, observing, f.ex. the fact that "even People who Died may still receive invitations rfom Facebook", etc., and/or that old "Photos with a Kalashnikof" can be found, etc.

    But, also "Religion" is "not to be suppressed" in the Struggle against Radicalisation, because, on the Contrary, it could Help promote  certain "Common Values", since also "CoE is all about Values" from its very inception, as its Statute stresses from the outset, particularly if we "Find a way to speak about them, withourt seeming offensive to other religions", he added. This could play a notable role also regarding the "Distinction between Push and Pull Factors of Radicalisation : "Push" factors being f.ex. "perceptions of InJustice, Loss of Rights" and/or "of Opportunities in Society", etc., while "Pull Factors can be very Strong in Prisons", particularly if fragile Detainees "fall in the Hands of Radicalized Groups". Last, but not least, the "Human Factor", linked to the Idea of "Dynamic Security", and concerning also "Interactions with Prisoners", can be very important. It requires, howecer, for all Prisons' "Staff to be Trained", f.ex. in order "to Assess and Evaluate" eventual Risks of Radicalisation, "to Know How to React", etc. Therefore, the planned CoE's Handbook, by including CoE's "Guidelines" against Radicalisation, "adopted on March 2016", various "Best Practices", and other relevant Ideas, can become very Useful, he concluded.

    Meanwhle, in consultation with the CoE, the European Bishops' and the Chaplains' Organisations, who prepared this Week's 3-Days long Conference in Strasbourg, are due to Wrirte and Publish a special "Statement" with the main Conclusions of the Debates with Participants by various Christian Confessions, a Group of Muslims, Anti-Terrorism and CoE's Officials, etc. But, apparently, the particularly Sensitive aspects of the Multifacet  Struggle against Radicalisation in Prisons, unexpectedly Delayed the Official Publication of that Statement, which was Due for Today, but will probably be Finalized on the sidelines of certain Meetings closed to the Press, which Continue and will conclude in Strasbourg Tomorrow.
    
    (Comp. also Other "Eurofora"s NewsReports on that issue, f.ex. at : .... ).

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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).

 

 

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