OSCE Centre trains Kyrgyz police officers on human rights

BISHKEK, 16 May 2008 - More than 600 police officers and representatives of civil society from the Issyk-Kul and Naryn provinces of Kyrgyzstan will complete tomorrow an OSCE-organized training course on human rights.

The six-day course was delivered by experts from the Centre for Human Rights and Civil Oversight of the Kyrgyz Police Academy and the Interior Ministry's Police Reform Centre. Participants found out more about the Interior Ministry's reform policy, international human rights standards, use of force and the concept of civil oversight over the work of the police.

"This is an important part of OSCE assistance in developing the Kyrgyz police and promoting trust between the public and the police service," said Knut Dreyer, the OSCE Centre's Police Reform Adviser.

Kaana Aidarkul, a trainer of the Police Academy's Centre for Human Rights, said she was happy to see that the participants expressed their interest in improving their skills in protecting human rights.

Tokon Aryzabekov, the Chairperson of the Court of elderly respected people (aksakal's court) of the Djumgal district of Naryn province, added: "The course helped better understand the role of police inspectors in protecting human rights".

The training course was organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek as part of an ongoing project with the Kyrgyz Police Academy that aims to promote modern teaching methodologies and strengthen the human rights education of police officers, especially in the regions.