Caption: Workshop at the Ministry of Justice of Belgium. © Belgian Prison Service
Brussels (Belgium), 27 February 2024 – As a result of terrorist actions that has affected Mozambique since 2017, carried out by a terrorist group (Al-Sunnah wal-Jamaah), in Cabo Delgado, the National Penitentiary Service (SERNAP) has seen an increasing influx of inmates linked to the terrorist groups. However, the Mozambican prison system – already under significant pressure due to overcrowding – currently lacks specific programs for the rehabilitation and de-radicalization of such detainees, which could transform penitentiary facilities into potential sites of radicalization.
In this context, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), conducted an exchange visit between Mozambique and Belgium for the Mozambique National Penitentiary Service (SERNAP) officials to benefit from Belgium’s experience on how to screen, prosecute, rehabilitate and reintegrate persons incarcerated due to terrorism-related actions.
This activity was financially supported by the European Union, under the UNODC project “Assisting Mozambique to strengthen criminal justice responses to terrorism, including capacities for collecting, preserving, and sharing of evidence in line with human rights standards.”
Despite the diligent efforts of national criminal institutions to effectively manage terrorism-related cases, a critical gap remains: there are currently no mechanisms in place to prevent incarcerated terrorists from returning to criminal activities upon release. While prosecuting and sentencing such cases are crucial measures, it's evident that relying solely on security measures and punitive actions is insufficient. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of terrorism involvement, it's imperative to adopt a comprehensive approach. This entails not only addressing immediate security concerns but also delving deeper into the root causes underlying individuals' engagement in terrorism. Factors like poverty, social exclusion, and educational deficits play significant roles. Therefore, implementing rehabilitation and reintegration programs is essential not only for preventing recidivism but also for fostering reconciliation and social cohesion within Mozambique.
Belgium already has an active counterterrorism policy that includes robust domestic security efforts, international information sharing, and support for multilateral efforts, with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of preventing violent extremism and rehabilitating and reintegrating extremist individuals. For instance, it created an interagency body called the Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis (CUTA) was responsible for setting nationwide threat-level ratings and maintaining Belgium’s database of individuals with a nexus to terror.
Throughout the visit, participating officials met with and learned from representatives from several Belgian institutions, including but not limited to the Belgian Prison Service, the Central Extremism Psychosocial Service, the Federal Judicial Police, CAPREV – Centre for Assistance of People concerned by any Radicalism or Extremism leading to Violence, Flemish Peace Institute, Experts Radicalization Awareness Network, CEAPIRE – Centre of Expertise and Advice for Prevention and Intervention of Radicalism and Extremism, the European Commission and the International Corrections and Prisons Association. The Mozambican delegation also visited the Prisons of Ittre and Haren.
SERNAP expressed satisfaction for the mission’s outcomes. A participant stated that “the mission was a success because it allowed an update on some knowledge of behavioral sciences, such as Violent Extremism Risk Assessment 2 – Vera 2,” a tool developed to support risk analysis and risk management of violent extremism. “Whenever a training programme ends, an endless phase must begin, which is the phase of implementing/adjusting the learning to the concrete reality, and it is precisely this phase that we are beginning today,” the official added, highlighting the importance of applying the knowledge acquired.
On the other hand, the spokesperson of the Belgian Directorate General for Prisons, Valérie Callebaut, was honoured to welcome the Mozambican delegation, highlighting that “we could learn a lot with this experience with Mozambique. The delegation made instigating questions which amazed us. We are at disposal for Mozambique, for further exchanges, such as these.”
UNODC’s approach on prison system reform
It is of utmost importance that prison reform is not regarded in isolation from broader criminal justice reform. UNODC believes that effective prison reform is dependent on the improvement and rationalisation of criminal justice policies, including crime prevention and sentencing policies, and on the care and treatment made available to vulnerable groups in the community. Reform of the prison system should therefore always take into account the needs relating to the reform of the criminal justice system as a whole and employ an integrated, multi-disciplinary strategy to achieve sustainable impact. Thus, reform initiatives will usually need to also encompass criminal justice institutions other than the prison service, such as the judiciary prosecution and police service, as relevant.
An integrated approach also takes account of areas that are typically not regarded as part of the "criminal justice system". These include, for example, the development of substance dependence treatment programmes in the community or psycho-social counselling programmes, to which certain offenders may be diverted, rather than being imprisoned, thus ensuring that services in prison are not overstretched, trying to meet the needs of a growing number of prisoners with special needs.
The integrated strategy to prison reform can benefit immensely from the establishment and development of collaboration and partnerships with other UN agencies and other international and national organisations engaged in complementary programmes.
The way the criminal justice system treats offenders determines the size of the prison population, which in turn has a significant impact on the way prisons are run. On the other hand, the criminal justice system itself is influenced by government policies and the political climate of the time - largely determined by the public, who in democratic countries elect their governments. Therefore, when evaluating the prison system, it is necessary to realise that efficient management and humane detention conditions do not depend solely on the prison authorities. The prison systems need to be accountable to the community and this is valid for all public services, but particularly for the prison system, which, to a large extent, is closed to public scrutiny, and where power can easily be abused.
Overcrowded prisons, housing a diverse mixture of people – some dangerous and violent, many in need of mental health care or treatment for addictions, rather than isolation from society, and a large number vulnerable for a range of social and economic reasons, are not easy to manage – and moreover to manage in a manner that helps with resettlement.
UNODC thanks the European Union for its sponsorship of this initiative.
Working to build the capacity of national criminal justice systems to prevent and counter terrorism more efficiently, UNODC holds capacity-building workshops at the national, subregional and regional levels, shares legislation expertise on implementing anti-terrorism legislation and other measures in compliance with the rule of law and international norms and standards on human rights, and promotes regional and international cooperation between Member States. For more information, click here.
