OSCE/ODIHR and Slovak Judicial Academy begin implementing prosecutors’ training programme on hate crime

Representatives of the Judicial Academy of the Slovak Republic and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) signed an agreement on 28 June 2017 that will help Slovakian prosecutors and judges strengthen their ability to effectively prosecute hate crimes.

Under this agreement, Slovakia commits to implement ODIHR’s Prosecutors and Hate Crime Training (PAHCT) programme, a tailor-made hate crime training programme, which will be integrated into the existing national curricula for prosecutors. The agreement was signed by ODIHR Director Michael Georg Link and Peter Hulla, Director of the Judicial Academy.

"We are committed to helping OSCE participating States effectively counter hate crimes, and prosecutors are a central part of our strategy. This agreement is the first step in our co-operation with Slovakia to root out these crimes," said Director Link. "Hate crimes not only have a deep impact on the immediate victims – they send a message of intolerance and rejection to entire communities. Prosecutors can help bring about justice through proper investigation and prosecution of these crimes.”

Ladislav Tichy, Deputy Director of the Judicial Academy of the Slovak Republic, said: "We need to fight effectively against the increasing number of hate crimes. Based on the initiative of the Slovak Minister of Justice Lucia Žitňanská, recognizing the importance of protecting human rights and the potential for these crimes to undermine our security, we welcome this activity to strengthen the democratic character of our society. By training judges and prosecutors, we want to contribute to combating hate crimes and at the same time affirm our determination to protect the individuals.”

PAHCT is customized by ODIHR to meet the needs and experiences of each country in which it is implemented. The programme is designed to be integrated into existing training efforts and to draw on local resources. PAHCT’s implementation is currently underway in Bulgaria, Georgia and Poland.