Spanish police officers trained on human rights standards in countering violent extremism that may lead to terrorism at ODIHR workshop in Málaga

A group of 22 mid- to higher rank officers of Spain’s local police forces gained essential knowledge and skills to respect human rights in countering and preventing violent extremism that may lead to terrorism during a training workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) from 20 to 22 June 2017 in Málaga, Spain.

“Countering violent extremism and preventing terrorism are challenging tasks for police in all countries, and the way these tasks are carried out may have a profound impact on the enjoyment of human rights,” said Johannes Heiler, ODIHR Adviser on Anti-terrorism Issues. “Full compliance with international human rights standards is a necessary condition for the short - and long-term effectiveness of any law-enforcement action in that regard.”

The training combined practical exercises with individual brainstorming and group discussions. The workshop addressed issues such as risks created by policing practices that violate human rights, safeguards for the treatment of suspects in detention, police engagement with local communities and detrimental effects stereotypes can have in the implementation of policies and practices to prevent and counter violent extremism that may lead to terrorism.

“Human rights-based training for frontline police officers is essential to foster positive relations between local authorities and communities,” said Julio Andrade, Deputy Mayor of the city of Málaga. “It is an important part of efforts to build active and resilient societies and effectively prevent violent extremism and terrorist radicalization.”

Málaga is piloting the local implementation of the Spanish national strategy against violent radicalization. The training built on ODIHR’s standard training curriculum for law-enforcement officers on protecting human rights and effectively countering terrorism and was tailored to the specific needs of the local police based on the findings of a pre-training assessment mission.