OSCE Office in Yerevan organizes training course for judges and prosecutors

TSAKHKADZOR, Armenia, 12 December 2013 – The OSCE Office in Yerevan kicked off a seminar for judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials on best practices in combating trafficking of human beings today in Tsakhkadzor.

During the seminar judicial officials and experts from local non-governmental organizations will discuss judicial practices during criminal trafficking cases, as well as will review how international legal anti-trafficking tools are incorporated into judicial practice. Participants will also share their experiences and discuss the challenges pertaining to the burden of proof in labour trafficking cases. The event is conducted by an expert from Italy, who will share his experience as an acting prosecutor handling trafficking in human beings cases. 

Vahram Kazhoyan, the Head of the Anti-Trafficking working group from the Foreign Ministry of Armenia, said: “Today’s training is an important contribution to the implementation of the 2013-2015 National Action Plan on Combating Human Trafficking.  It enables participants to review how they handle human trafficking cases, discuss the peculiarities when adjudicating crimes related to trafficking, and focus on international best practices in protecting human trafficking victims.”

Oliver McCoy, Democratization Officer at the OSCE Office in Yerevan, said: “The OSCE Office in Yerevan welcomes the working group’s commitment to maintaining a multi-actor system of law and governance which supports victims and quickly deals with perpetrators. This seminar should help improve the capacity of our national counterparts in protecting victims of human trafficking as well as seeking justice for them.”

This event is a part of the Office’s anti-trafficking project financed by the United States.