OSCE promotes training on prisoners’ rights in Turkmenistan
ASHGABAT, 7 November 2012 – International and national legal standards for the treatment of prisoners are the focus of an OSCE-organized “train-the-trainers” course that opened in Ashgabat today.
The three-day course brings together 29 participants, including prison officials from across the country, teachers of the S.A. Niyazov Institute of the Interior Ministry as well as representatives from the General Prosecutor’s Office.
“All OSCE participating States, including Turkmenistan, have committed themselves to safeguarding internationally recognized human rights standards, including on the rights of inmates,” said Ambassador Ivo Petrov, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “This course aims to assist the host country in fulfilling these OSCE commitments by facilitating the training of staff of the penitentiary system and advancing their knowledge and skills.”
The course will provide participants with in-depth knowledge about the rights of prisoners, including the right to life, the right to an adequate standard of living and respect for private and family life, as well as health rights of prisoners and the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The course participants will also discuss dealing with special categories of prisoners, such as women and juveniles as well as matters related to work and education opportunities in prisons. The course will also address security and disciplinary measures and the right to file complaints and seek legal assistance.
The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, in co-operation with the Interior Ministry and the Institute, organized this course as part of their co-operation aimed at promoting international human rights standards in the country’s penitentiary system.