UNODC Supports Training for Kyrgyzstan's Judges on Cases of Trafficking in Persons

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recently partnered with Kyrgyzstan's Association of Women Judges to organize a two-day training on trafficking in persons for 12 trainers of the Higher School of Justice under the Supreme Court.

The training followed a training needs assessment and analysis of judicial practice in human trafficking cases, which concluded that judges require relevant trainings on issues related to witness protection during trials, including in-camera testimony, witness concealment and protection of privacy; best practices of court considerations in sentencing, including relevant mitigating and aggravating circumstances in TIP cases; as well as victims' rights and compensation issues.

"The training was conducted on the basis of a new training Manual on the handling of cases of human trafficking prepared by the Association of Women Judges with UNODC support", said Ms. Raushan Turgunbaeva, Director of the Higher School of Justice. "The manual reflects newly adopted criminal legislation in Kyrgyzstan. Such training is very timely given that the new laws just entered into force".

The training brought together judges of district and regional courts from all around the country with experience in handling criminal cases related to trafficking in persons. Following this initial training for judges' mock trials to practice the prosecution and adjudication of human trafficking cases are planned later this year. The training course on human trafficking for judges is expected to be further integrated in the curriculum of the Higher School of Judges.

According to Ms. Jypara Rakisheva, UNODC National Program Coordinator, "this effort is part of a broader initiative to strengthen the criminal justice response to trafficking in persons within the framework of the Government's Anti-Trafficking Program for 2017-2020. Similar courses are being developed for police investigators and prosecutors so as to promote better access to justice for victims of this crime. »  

UNODC supports training on the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of trafficking in persons within the framework of the UNODC Program for Central Asia 2015-2019 with funding provided by the US Government.

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