12–13 August, Dushanbe – Two one-day trainings for 50 lawyers on the protection of torture victims were held in the capital. The events were organized by the Public Organization “World of Law” in cooperation with the Union of Lawyers within the framework of the project “Path to Justice: Strengthening Human Rights through Torture Prevention and Penitentiary System Reform”, funded by the European Union.
The protection of victims of torture and ill-treatment is an integral part of ensuring non-repetition and guarantees against torture and ill-treatment. Victims of torture and their relatives are often unaware of the methods and mechanisms available to protect their violated rights. Training and capacity building of lawyers and civil society contribute to providing effective and timely assistance to victims in restoring their rights.
“Human rights defenders and lawyers play an important role in restoring violated rights of citizens. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen their capacity and knowledge in order to effectively protect human rights. Within the framework of the ‘Path to Justice’ project, we also plan to conduct trainings jointly with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Tajikistan,” said Gulchehra Kholmatova, Director of the Public Organization “World of Law.”
The training covered the following topics: international instruments on the fight against torture, definitions of “torture” and “ill-treatment,” the role of UN bodies in preventing torture, the Istanbul Protocol, national mechanisms for protecting victims of torture, the role of lawyers, the inadmissibility of evidence obtained under torture, complaints against actions (or inaction) of officials, and procedures for filing claims for compensation of material damage.
