Iraqi Prison Wardens Learned about the Finnish Prison Service
Press release 172/2007
7 September, 2007
Two Iraqi prison wardens from Baghdad became acquainted with the Finnish prison service, the management of prisons and the duties of Finnish prison wardens during the period 20 August–5 September. The visit was linked with the training programme under the civilian crisis management operation EUJUST Lex, the EU Integrated Rule of Law Mission for Iraq, which supports development of the Iraqi criminal law system by offering management and leadership training to the country’s judges, police officers and prison service directors.
The prison wardens’ visit to Finland was an element of so-called Work Experience Secondment training, a part of the EUJUST Lex training programme that has been praised for its practical approach. The programme gives small participant groups the opportunity to become familiar with the work of corresponding authorities in the host country at the practical level by following their colleagues’ everyday activities.
The training was a joint effort of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Criminal Sanctions Agency; Helsinki Prison and Vantaa Prison under the District Prison of Southern Finland, as well as the district’s assessment and allocation unit in Riihimäki, were responsible for its practical implementation. The main attention was paid to questions of human rights and legality, e.g. to prisoners’ treatment, especially with respect to management and supervision. Also included were needs for and means of cooperation with investigating authorities and courts.
Aside from the training programme proper, the visitors were shown around Helsinki and also visited the Prison Museum in Hämeenlinna.
The EU launched the EUJUST Lex civilian crisis management operation in July 2005. The operation’s training element is provided by EU Member States, each in its own country. So far nearly 50 training events attended by about 1,150 Iraqi civil servants have been held under the operation. Nearly all EU Member States have taken part in the operation in some way, as an aspect of the European security and defence policy.
During the operation’s first year, judges, police officers and prison service directors took part in joint courses that concentrated on management and steering, one objective of which was also the develop cooperation between these officials. Finland then participated in courses held in Denmark by providing the training component on prison service. Working visits of the type represented by this prison wardens’ visit to Finland have previously been organised twice in Lithuania.
Additional information: Mika-Markus Leinonen, Head of the Unit for Civilian Crisis Management, tel. +358 9 1605 5357 or mobile tel. +358 40 579 0601