Denmark is set to send up to 300 prisoners to Kosovo in an effort to alleviate overcrowding in Danish prisons. The deal, which was signed in 2021 and recently became a treaty, will see Denmark leasing 300 cells in Kosovo’s Gjilan prison for €15 million per year. These cells will be used for foreign nationals convicted in Denmark who are due to be deported after serving their sentence.
During his visit to Kosovo, Danish Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard praised the cooperation between the two countries in addressing the issue of overcrowding in Danish prisons. The Director of the Correctional Service of Kosovo, Ismail Dibrani, noted that the prisoners sent from Denmark will have the opportunity for employment in the Gjilan centre after renovations and modernization work is completed.
However, human rights groups have expressed concerns about the transfer of inmates to Kosovo, citing credible allegations of abuse in the past. The US State Department and the UN Committee against Torture have also highlighted issues such as violence among prisoners, corruption, and inadequate healthcare and family visits in Kosovo’s prison system.
This agreement between Denmark and Kosovo is reminiscent of a similar deal between Albania and the UK, where Albanian prisoners were transferred to their home country in exchange for British support in modernizing Albania’s prisons. While the move aims to address prison overcrowding, concerns about human rights and conditions in Kosovo’s prisons persist.
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