The Human Rights Sector of ARCT directs, coordinates, and implements activities aimed at promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, while providing legal assistance and advocacy for survivors of torture, former political persecuted persons, and vulnerable groups including refugees and asylum seekers from the MENA region.
Within its mandate to advance the rights of persons deprived of liberty, the Sector conducts regular monitoring in places of detention, including prisons, pre-detention facilities, police commissariats, psychiatric institutions, and migrant detention centers. Through this work, ARCT promotes compliance with national legislation and international human rights standards.
MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS SECTOR
Monitoring
Monitoring is a core activity of ARCT’s Human Rights Sector. Through regular and systematic visits to places of deprivation of liberty, ARCT assesses the human rights situation, treatment conditions, access to healthcare, procedural safeguards, and protection from torture and ill-treatment.
Monitoring activities include penitentiary institutions, police detention cells, psychiatric facilities, and facilities hosting refugees and asylum seekers. Findings are documented using structured methodologies and evidence-based tools.
Recommendations
Based on monitoring findings, ARCT issues professional recommendations to relevant authorities at different institutional levels. These recommendations aim to strengthen safeguards against torture, improve detention conditions, enhance oversight mechanisms, and promote legislative and procedural reform.
Reporting
ARCT reports periodically to national authorities and international mechanisms on the human rights situation in Albania, particularly concerning persons deprived of liberty. Alternative reports and expert submissions contribute to strengthening accountability and aligning national practices with international standards.
Legal Assistance
The Sector provides legal advice and representation to survivors of torture, former political persecuted persons, detainees, and refugees from the MENA region. This includes support in accessing compensation schemes, legal remedies, asylum procedures, and protection mechanisms.
ADVOCACY
ARCT’s advocacy program is central to its mission of combating torture, preventing ill-treatment, and advancing justice for survivors.
Legal and Policy Advocacy
ARCT advocates for the effective implementation of laws recognizing former political persecuted persons and their right to compensation. The organization works to strengthen legislation related to detention standards, torture prevention, refugee protection, and access to justice.
ARCT supports accountability processes by documenting cases, providing survivor-centered legal assistance, and promoting institutional reform.
Community Engagement and Awareness
ARCT conducts public awareness campaigns to combat stigma against torture survivors and refugees, promote human rights education, and encourage civic responsibility in preventing abuse.
Survivor Empowerment
ARCT empowers survivors through capacity-building initiatives, livelihood support programs, and inclusion in advocacy processes. By supporting survivor-led initiatives and networks, ARCT ensures that affected individuals participate meaningfully in shaping policies and reforms that impact their lives.
Research and Documentation
ARCT documents cases of torture and ill-treatment and conducts research on the long-term psychological, social, and intergenerational impact of political persecution and forced displacement. This evidence-based approach informs both rehabilitation programs and advocacy strategies.
INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY
ARCT represents the voices of survivors at regional and international platforms, contributing to global efforts on torture prevention, rehabilitation standards, and refugee protection. Through engagement with international networks and human rights mechanisms, ARCT promotes alignment with European and global standards and strengthens Albania’s accountability framework.