OSCE Strengthens Capacity of Ukrainian NGOs in Trial Monitoring

KYIV, 15 July 2015 – OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) jointly with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) completed a two-day training for Ukrainian non-governmental organizations on best practices in trial monitoring.

The training is aimed at Ukrainian NGOs activists who already have background and experience in conducting trial monitoring. The programme of the training is designed to engage participants in a discussion of variety of trial monitoring practices depending on the purpose of the trial monitoring intervention. The participants said that trial monitoring could become a strong tool in supporting the judicial reform process. It would first and foremost measure compliance with the fair trial rights and standards, based on the main principles of trial monitoring: non-intervention and objectivity, as well as impartiality, professionalism and confidentiality

“Civil society is an important player in promoting the justice sector reform in Ukraine. We expect that their enhanced skills in monitoring of court proceedings will help civil society organizations to pinpoint weaknesses and strengths of the existing justice system, prepare recommendations for change and feed the justice reform process,” concluded Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

The event was organized within the PCU’s “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts” project, implemented with financial support of the Canadian Government, at the request of national partners including Supreme Court of Ukraine, High Administrative Court of Ukraine, and National School of Judges of Ukraine.