Lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River strengthen their human rights protection skills at OSCE-supported workshop

The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized a workshop in Tiraspol on 15 June 2018 for 35 legal professionals from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River on international standards regulating the right to the freedom of movement.

During the workshop, the participants reviewed in detail existing international standards, practices and protection mechanisms related to the right to the freedom of movement. They worked jointly in small groups on case studies and deliberated upon better strategies to promote human rights for all. The new, extended format of the workshop also included thematic presentations by legal professionals with an aim to facilitate the exchange of information among lawyers from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River.

“Today’s event has been effective and relevant. I learned about the international norms that regulate the right to the freedom of movement and its application in the local context. Joint discussions and solutions regarding cases of human rights violations were very insightful,” said Alexei Balan, a lawyer from Tiraspol. 

These workshops build upon Human Rights Club meetings, which have been organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova since 2013 to serve as a communication platform and a confidence building measure between legal and civil society professionals on both banks of the Dniestr/Nistru River. In 2018, these meetings evolved into professional workshops with a greater focus on international law. At least two more workshops are planned for 2018.