Copenhagen: 19 July 2008

Walking through the gates of Vridsløselille state prison was where the topic of the day started. “challenges for Human Rights in the Danish Prison System and the counter terror initiatives”. Behind those gates, different criminals live their daily life serving their sentence. We were welcomed by a lawyer who gave us a general idea of what Vridsløselille state prison was all about. After getting our electronic devices put away and going through the metal detector, the session began. Marianne Secher who is the prison director told us about how the system worked within the prison. She explained how the prisoners were allowed to vote for one prisoner to be their spokesperson. She also explained more about how they at Vridsløselille State Prison managed to co-operate with the prisoners in order to get a nice tone between the guards and the prisoners. Marianne also discussed a bit further on the use of isolation.

We were shown around the prison after the presentation-we got to see the rooms where the prisoners work in. It was a surprise to some people within our group, that the prisoners had rooms with a nice bed and television even DVD was provided. We also had the opportunity of seeing an unvoluntarily isolation prisoner cell which in a way

After that we went to the nice little cosy prison chapel where the prison choir had prepared two songs for us. It was interesting seeing those men who each probably had committed a terrible crime that made them end up in State prison singing with such angelic voices.

The tour of the prison ended with a meeting with a prisoner who was had been in jail since he was 27 years old. He murdered 3 people, whereas 2 of them were finish police officers. He explained a bit about what his thoughts have been and how it is being in prison. He was concerned while being in prison of not falling back into his old ways, yet he was more concerned about going out knowing he would have a hard time paying back what he owes to the State but also his fear of not being accepted by the society. With all those obstacles standing in his way he was determined to do whatever he possibly could so he wouldn’t end back in prison for the sake of his 8 year old son.

After his presentation and the Q and A session we had with him, our group were divided in several minor groups discussing the punishments which are giving here in Denmark. Are the punishments given fair?

Getting back to our location, we were divided into groups where we had to discuss the questions further, our own personal view on prison and human rights towards prisoners. Keyword again here was integration-how can we involve the prisoners after their stay to get integrated into the society? How can we make society accept them and give them an opportunity in life after prison? And why is it there is not enough focus towards this?

For our last session of the day we heard from Jonas Christoffersen, an assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen, on the issue of counter terrorism initiatives and administrative expulsions. Jonas explained the arguments surrounding the highly controversial tool of administrative expulsions, highlighting the absurdity of the policies surrounding deportation and the look of recognition for immigrant rights. Jonas drew from current events surrounding the Supreme Court hearing dealing with the proposed expulsion of the two Tunisian immigrants who allegedly plotted the murder of the Muhammed cartoonists.

Christoffersen also discussed possible outcomes in the upcoming Supreme Court case. These outcomes ranged from expulsion to Tunisia, permanent detention, on an encouragement to remodel legislation dealing with immigrants who “pose threats to the state”. The constitutionality, and ultimately the viability, of such outcomes was analyzed with the ultimate consensus that the Danish Parliament needs comprehensive legislative reform in immigration and administrative expulsion policies that ensure the human right of a fee trail while simultaneously providing for national security.

The day’s sessions raised questions about the Human Rights of those who pose threats to society. At what point does the administration overstep its bands in controlling such threats?
What sectors of society/government can be found some protection for prisoners’ and immigrants’ rights? Such questions deal with complex topics but ultimately all decisions must be viewed through the lens of human rights.

--Sarah Haioty and Shayne Henry