ABSTRACT
The new era of the prison system and penal policy in the Republic of North Macedonia began with the adoption of the Law on Execution of Sanctions in 2019. It is a law that is in line with international standards and best practice in the field of execution of sanctions, with particular emphasis on the revised UN Nelson Mandela Rules and the European Prison Rules of the Council of Europe. The inadequate prison conditions and the overcrowding of the prisons continue to be the main problem of the prison system even though the overall situation significantly improved since 2017. In March 2020, the Republic of North Macedonia declared a state of emergency and adopted a Decree that affected the application of the Law on Execution of Sanctions, to prevent or reduce the admission of new prisoners and thus to neutralise the risk of spreading COVID-19. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the competent authorities in the system of execution of sanctions faced real challenges to protect the health of prisoners while respecting their rights and implementing methods of treatment.
