OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan conducts training course for police investigators on protecting rights of alleged victims and accused persons during preliminary investigations
TASHKENT, 31 October 2018 – A three-day training course on protecting the rights of alleged victims and accused persons for police investigators from Tashkent and the surrounding area, conducted by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, commenced today.
The aim of the training is to enhance the investigators’ professional understanding of and commitment to international policing and investigative standards. Emphasis is being placed on working within the framework of national and international laws on human rights-compliant policing, which uphold the presumption of innocence, prohibit the use of torture and oppressive practices, and protect the dignity of and respect for witnesses and suspects at all stages of the investigative process.
The participants will also be trained in putting the principles and concepts they learn into practice, enhancing their effectiveness and sense of personal accomplishment. The course will leave them better equipped to carry out their investigative responsibilities to the exacting standards rightly expected of them by the people of Uzbekistan.
In his opening speech, Juergen Becker, Senior Project Officer with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, stressed that “the training is part of a project intended to support the Ministry of Internal Affairs in enhancing professional capacities and skills of its investigative divisions and in promoting the respect of the law and fundamental rights and freedoms among the police through provision of expertise, information and technical support”.
“In accordance with the Uzbekistan Development Strategy for 2017-2021, the project aims at improving the capacity of the investigative divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to perform their tasks in line with OSCE commitments, applicable laws, human rights and fundamental freedoms,” he said.
Michael Boyle, international police expert from Ireland said: “The implementation of professional investigative interviewing techniques is a critical tool in police work and is an essential step in detecting crime. By applying these methods, law enforcement officers not only greatly increase the likelihood that they will obtain actionable information and evidence to help them solve the crime under investigation, but they will also be better able to deliver justice and strengthen the public’s trust and the rule of law.”