Support for criminal prisoners and relatives

Numerous fundamental rights are lost when individuals enter prison, including privacy, family life, and freedom of association. For non-German speakers, accessing information about their remaining rights becomes particularly difficult, compounding their already challenging situation. Contact maintenance creates significant hardships for prisoners' families, despite their innocence in any wrongdoing. Public recognition of these issues remains minimal, with the voices of those most affected—prisoners and their families—rarely reaching broader society.

Representing their own interests and defending their rights becomes possible for prisoners through the Union for Prisoners' Rights. Communication barriers diminish through collaboration with Café LG, a radio program connecting prisoners with families in their native languages. Together, these initiatives empower both prisoners and their families to claim their rights while raising public awareness about the challenges faced within the prison system.

Robert Bogić takes responsibility for organizing Café LG, presenting the program and managing its Facebook community. Information compilation occurs through collaboration with Monika Mokre from the Union. Full members lead the Union itself, supported by four to eight external coordinators. Grant funding currently covers interpreters and legal counseling services, though financial challenges threaten these essential components of the program.

Living conditions and communication opportunities for prisoners and their families improve directly through this initiative. Various public institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, have taken notice, resulting in both cooperative efforts and critical examination of prison conditions. Important platforms for prisoner and family voices emerge through the Café LG radio program and Union activities, which simultaneously raise public awareness about institutional issues within the prison system.

Awareness of prison issues grows through the Union's partnerships with organizations, media outlets, and journalists. Beyond Vienna, Café LG expands its reach by collaborating with regional stations like Radio Helsinki in Graz, extending services to families throughout Austria. Global discussions about prison reform and restorative justice flourish through international collaborations, exemplified by the 'Out of Prison' panel discussion that broadens the project's impact across borders.