Fostering observance of human rights provisions in Ukraine

KYIV, 24 October 2001 (OSCE) - On 22 and 23 October, a regional seminar on the implications of the European Convention on Human Rights for the work of law enforcement bodies was held jointly by the Ukrainian Government Agent before the European Court of Human Rights, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator and the German Fund for International Legal Co-operation in the outskirts of Dnipropetrovsk.

Representatives of law enforcement and judicial bodies from eleven oblasts of Ukraine attended the seminar, which was addressed by Ukrainian experts, among them the Government Agent, as well as a German guest speaker (Personal Advisor for the President of the European Court of Human Rights).

The main goal of the seminar was to draw participants' attention to provisions of the European Human Rights Convention in view of preventing cases against Ukraine be brought before the European Court of Human Rights. Participants, particularly judges, were urged to apply directly in their practice the provisions of the Convention as a part of the national legislation and making reference to the case law of the Court.

It was the fourth in a series of such seminars with the Government Agent in the framework of a project, which was agreed on earlier this year with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

In connection with this, the Project Co-ordinator recently launched another joint activity with the Government Agent. It foresees the establishment of three model courts, which will use the case law of the European Court on Human Rights in their practice constantly. On 9 October, this undertaking was presented to the public in a joint presentation on TV by the Minister of Justice, Susanna Stanik, and the Project Co-ordinator.