Strengthening civil society organizations for monitoring and promotion of alternative criminal sanctions
Within the project “Promotion of Alternative Criminal Sanctions and Measures of Restorative Justice” implemented by Center for Democracy Foundation in partnership with Victimology Society of Serbia, first workshop for civil society organizations was realized December 8, 2014, in Belgrade, titled “Problems and Challenges in the System of Alternative Criminal Sanctions, Promotion of a Greater Implementation”.
The aim of the workshop was to motivate and encourage civil society organizations from Belgrade, Niš, Kragujevac, Leskovac and Zrenjanin to more actively advocate in their respective communities for the promotion of alternative criminal sanctions and monitor their proclamation and implementation. On the other side, the workshop represented an opportunity to establish cooperation of civil society organizations with central and local state bodies and institutions that were present as trainers, as well as to create the synergy in treatment of this issue.
Participants of the workshop were representatives of Human Rights Center from Niš, Center for the Development of Civil Society “Protecta” from Niš, Alternative Circle from Kragujevac, Together Together from Belgrade, Committee for Human Rights from Leskovac, Educational Center from Leskovac, “Steering Wheel” from Zrenjanin and Neostart from Belgrade.
At this occasion participants acquired theoretical knowledge on the system of alternative sanctions and international standards, they were presented the application and implementation of the alternative sanctions in Serbia, as well as the need for greater promotion and execution of alternative sanctions from the standpoint of human rights protection, especially the rights concerning freedom and personal safety.
Lecturers at the workshop were Prof. Dr Nataša Mrvić Petrović, from the Institute for Comparative Law, Mirjana Marjanović, trustee from the Department for Treatment and Alternative Sanctions and Nikola Kovačević from the Belgrade Center for Human Rights.
Continuation of the cooperation with workshop participants will reflect through organization of round tables on this topic with relevant contributors and in their local environments, as well as through second workshop that will follow by the beginning of next year – aimed at producing particular suggestions and recommendation for improvement of the legal framework and implementation of alternative sanctions.
Center for Democracy Foundation
