On 13-14 August 2024 25 human rights inspectors of the National Police (NPU) from 21 region of Ukraine progressed in their knowledge of standards of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Human rights inspectors are the key players of the “Custody Records” system which ensures uninterrupted video surveillance and recording of all actions undertaken with a detained person from the moment of factual apprehension and stay in police up till discharge from territorial unit. Inspector controls the state of ensuring the rights of both – the detained persons and police officers. Respectively, it is hard to overestimate the importance of uninterrupted in-service training of inspectors on human rights standards.
“We are grateful to the Council of Europe for systematic and consistent support. Human rights inspectors are the real agents of change within the law enforcement system. They share, promote and practice the values and standards without which democracy, rule of law and country’s European integration would not be possible. In order to change the system, they have to be top professionals of human rights protection and advocacy among those, who still do not comprehend the value of human rights”, - Mr. Ruslan Horiachenko, Head of the Department of Main Inspection and Human Rights of the National Police of Ukraine
During two days the inspectors and Council of Europe experts focused on the most relevant for the “Custody Records” system functioning issues:
- Overview of ECHR and human rights protection standards. Mechanism of implementation of standards through the prism of Convention’s articles
- Practical implementation of ECHR standards through the prism of provisions of Article 3 and respective ECtHR case-law. National context.
- Practical implementation of ECHR standards through the prism of provisions of Article 5 and respective ECtHR case-law. National context.
- Human rights inspectors and “Custody Records” system: the role and place within the system of human rights protection
- Practical aspects of discharge of human rights inspectors’ functions
- Separate elements of ECHR standards in the context of inspectors’ work: right to access to a lawyer, right for information, right for medical assistance
- Building community and professional interaction of human rights inspectors
“Having this opportunity to learn during two days side by side with colleagues from other regions is priceless. Not only did we deepen our knowledge and considered through the prism of ECtHR case-law the practical implementation of rights as guaranteed by the Convention. We as well discussed problematic professional issues that are specific for every separate region and found numerous points of connection. Outstanding motivation and numerous ideas for implementation are my takeaways”, - Ms. Alina Mushka, Head of Human Rights Sector of Kramatorsk Regional Police Division in Donets region.
The Council of Europe within its “Strengthening Ukrainian Law Enforcement Agencies During War and Post-War Period” project provides complex support to Ukraine’s efforts towards overcoming the systemic problem of ill-treatment within law enforcement. One of the components of such support covers training for human rights inspectors and development of “Custody Records” system.
