Controversy Surrounds Transfer of Danish Inmates to Kosovo’s Gjilan Jail

Kosovo to Receive Danish Inmates in Controversial Prison Transfer Deal

In a surprising move, Kosovo is set to receive 300 inmates from Denmark in a controversial prison transfer deal that has sparked criticism from human rights experts. The plan involves airlifting the foreign prisoners more than 2,000 kilometers away to a jail in eastern Kosovo, where all domestic inmates will be removed to make space.

The Gjilan jail in Kosovo will undergo reconstruction to meet Danish standards before receiving the convicts from non-European Union countries who were facing deportation from Denmark after serving their sentences. While the prison itself does not raise human rights concerns, the decision to house inmates in Kosovo has raised alarm among experts.

Danish human rights organization Dignity has expressed concerns about potential risks of abuse in Kosovo, citing past allegations. The U.S. State Department and the UN Committee against Torture have also highlighted issues such as violence among prisoners, corruption, and inadequate healthcare in Kosovo’s prisons.

Despite the criticism, Kosovo’s parliament approved the deal last week, with Denmark citing overcrowded jails and a shortage of prison guards as reasons for the transfer. In exchange for accepting the inmates, Kosovo will receive 210 million euros over the next decade.

The transfer excludes individuals sentenced on terrorism charges or with life sentences, and Danish authorities will provide training to Kosovar prison guards to ensure compliance with human rights standards. However, some experts remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the training.

Local residents near the prison in Pasjak have mixed feelings about the incoming inmates, with one resident stating that “whether they are from Denmark, England, or elsewhere, they are jailed people.”

The first convicts are expected to be transferred within the next two years, following the reconstruction of the prison to Danish standards. The facility will be co-managed by a Danish prison governor and a local director, with all guards being local.

As the controversial prison transfer deal unfolds, concerns about the treatment of inmates and adherence to human rights standards remain at the forefront of the debate.

(Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Rod Nickel)