Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan holds series of awareness-raising seminars on the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture

In the period between 7 and 13 April 2021, the Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) carried out a series of awareness-raising seminars on the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture. The seminars were organized jointly with the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsperson).

The events were held in the Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya, Tashkent, and Khorezm regions and from the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan. The seminars brought together representatives of regional state bodies working in the field of education and health care, law-enforcement agencies, judicial bodies and at the Chamber of Advocates. An expert from Kazakhstan shared her knowledge on the international standards of the freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment and punishment. In total, over 100 participants were trained.

Participants were informed about the large-scale reforms happening in the penitentiary system in the country to prevent the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment against detainees and prisoners. OSCE standards for the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as foreign experience in public oversight of human rights in closed institutions were also discussed. Participants worked together in groups to make the seminars more interactive and they analyzed real cases on human rights issues. At the end of the seminar, participants were awarded with certificates.

The seminars were organized within the Project “Support to Establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism against Torture”, funded by the Governments of Italy and Norway.