Tajikistan's Police Academy Institutionalizes Training of Police Officers on Detection and Investigation of Trafficking in Persons with UNODC and INL Support

Some 260 police cadets in their fourth year of studies are currently enrolled in a new training course on detection and investigation at the Police Academy of the Republic of Tajikistan. This is the result of a 2-year collaboration between the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) to introduce new investigation skills training on human trafficking in the curriculum of the Police Academy.

 

Within the framework of Tajikistan’s 2019-2021 National Action Plan, UNODC has partnered with the MOI, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Supreme Court to develop a comprehensive set of training materials to strengthen law enforcement responses to trafficking in persons based on international standards and tailored to reflect national legislation and investigation practices.

“Developed with the support of UNODC, our course aims at equipping new recruits and existing officers with essential knowledge and training to detect and investigate trafficking in persons. In order to respond effectively to this crime, investigators should adopt a comprehensive approach as provided in our manuals, which cover both theoretical questions and practical solutions”, said Mr. Behruz Bukhoriev, Deputy Head of Department of Excellence of the Faculty No. 2 of MOI Academy.

 

In 2020, 100 officers (12 female) from the law enforcement and justice sector passed a pilot training program based on 4 different manuals developed to cover prevention and detection, investigation, prosecution and adjudication of trafficking in persons cases. With the manuals now being published in Tajik language, law enforcement and judicial training institutions are taking the next step by incorporating the manuals in their teaching practice. In the case of the Police Academy, the course was endorsed in early February this year.

“To facilitate teaching based on the new manuals, in 2020, UNODC organized various training of trainers courses. As a result of this effort, 37 officers from the Police Academy and the MOI’s Department for Combating Organized Crime enhanced their knowledge and skills to function as instructors using the new manual to teach police cadets and police investigators on the legal framework and standard operating procedures for human trafficking investigations”, noted Ms. Takhmina Rakhimova, UNODC National Program Officer in Tajikistan.

 

These instructors are now involved in running the course, which has a total duration of 4 months (one semester). As part of the course, the enrolled police cadets will gain in-depth knowledge on national legislation, detection, handling of allegations and reports of trafficking offences, various investigative techniques, appropriate interviewing of victims considering their psychological characteristics, interrogation tactics of suspects, forensic evidence and intelligence sharing.

According to Takhmina Rakhimova, “the manuals are the result of a training needs assessment and related training concept we developed based on consultations with national counterparts. The materials are fully in line with the requirements of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, to which Tajikistan is a State Party, and based on UNODC’s Anti-Human Trafficking Manual for Criminal Justice Practitioners. Two training films, which focus on victim-sensitive interviewing and prosecution and adjudication of human trafficking cases in line with international standards, are also available as interactive training tools in Tajik language”.

The training programs to strengthen law enforcement responses to trafficking in persons in Tajikistan are implemented by UNODC with support from the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

 Article in Russian language 

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For more information, please contact Vasilina Brazhko (Ms.)

UNODC Communication and PR Specialist

WhatsApp: +996775987817

E-mail: vasilina.brazhko[at]un.org