Human Rights versus Public Security in NATO’s countries: Coping with Radicalism and Terror Activities among Inmates
Eilat, December 3rd- 5th, 2007International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA), NATO, and The International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT)
More than 20 professionals in the fields of terrorism, corrections, human rights, journalism and psychology gathered in Eilat from December 3rd to the 5th for an intensive research workshop sponsored by NATO, the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) and The International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT).
Lt. General (Ret.) Orit Adato, former commissioner of the Israeli Prison Service, 1st International Vice President of ICPA and ICT Research Associate, headed the discussions with Mr. Tony Cameron, former commissioner of the Scottish Prison Service and the ICPA President.
The workshop addressed the issue of human rights versus public security in NATO countries, with a focus on how prison authorities can cope with radicalism and terror activities among inmates. After three days of presentations, discussions and lively debate, workshop participants produced a series of recommendations on how prison authorities can minimize the spread of radical ideology, prevent terrorist recruitment and halt other terrorist activities within prison while respecting the human rights and dignity of all inmates.
Representatives at the workshop hailed from more than nine different countries and represented several different professional fields, allowing participants to engage in an intimate, international dialogue with an inter-disciplinary approach. Throughout the 3-day workshop, participants shared a variety of perspectives based on their countries’ unique experiences dealing with terrorism and terrorist inmates. The Eilat portion of the conference was followed by a prison tour representing the security inmates in Israel and meetings with the IPS commissioner and the Minister of Public Security.
Presentations focused on three primary themes: the larger context of radicalization and terrorism, legal perspectives on trying and convicting terrorist suspects, and the dynamics of the prison system itself.
Counter-terrorism experts such as ICT’s Dr. Boaz Ganor, Dr. Eitan Azani and Col. (res.) Yoni Fighel explained terrorist tactics, radicalization processes, and recruitment methods to prison professionals, showing how the prison setting can serve as a component in the terror process.
Adv. Devorah Chen and Brigadier General Haim Szmulewitz focused on the legal and legislative context, explaining Israeli laws and legal norms affecting terrorist suspects and the rights of Israel’s “security inmates.” The related gaps in international law were also discussed.
Benefiting from extensive international participation, some of Europe’s highest level correctional system authorities shared their experiences with terrorist inmates and radicalization processes. Mr. Leo Jansen, 2nd Int’l VP of ICPA and Governor of eight Dutch prisons, shared the Dutch perspective together with Deputy Manager of the prison system in the Netherlands, Marijke van Ven.