Uzbekistan Studies Spanish Experience in Penitentiary Management with OSCE Support

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — From 15 to 18 December 2025, Uzbek experts conducted a study visit to Spain to explore modern practices in prison management and human rights protection, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan in partnership with the Centre for Development and Justice (CDJI).

The delegation included representatives from the National Centre for Human Rights, the Ministries of Internal and Foreign Affairs, and the heads of Uzbekistan’s correctional facilities.

During the visit, they toured male and female prisons, a local police station, and other relevant institutions to observe how Spain ensures the protection of inmates’ rights, facilitates social reintegration, and prepares individuals for life after release.

A central focus of the visit was Spain’s human-centred and gender-sensitive approach. Delegates studied mechanisms for individual assessment, where each inmate’s behaviour, needs, and potential determine the appropriate regime and support programmes. They also examined vocational training, education, medical and psychological services, and gender-responsive management practices.

Meetings were held with the Ministry of Justice of Spain, the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions, the Gregorio Peces-Barba Institute of Human Rights at Carlos III University, and other relevant bodies, demonstrating how prisons can function as spaces of rehabilitation and second chances rather than solely as confinement facilities.

The insights the delegation gained during the visit can inform the ongoing development of Uzbekistan’s correctional system, with a focus on the effectiveness of human rights and international standards.