Ashgabat – In the beginning of June, International Organization for Migration/UN Migration Agency (IOM) organized two back to back trainings for judges from all regions of the country. Main topic of the trainings is rights of victims of trafficking including the rights to an effective remedy and ensuring these rights during the trial process. Trainings were held in Mary and Turkmenbashy cities within the IOM Combating Human Trafficking Project, funded by USD department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Ms. Maria Ghervas, IOM international expert walked the participants through the experiences and best practices on judicial procedures of human trafficking-related crimes, particularities of criminal analysis of trafficking cases and nuances of victims’ identification process, including evaluation of a victim’s testimony, and special tools of judicial investigation.

During the trainings Ms. Maria Ghervas, experienced judge from the Supreme Court of Moldova with vast experience of adjudicating on the trafficking cases, drew a special attention of her colleagues to the VoTs access to justice and tools to protect their human rights during trial process. Cases from international practice presented by the expert, such as Rantsev vs. Cyprus and Russia, Van der Mussele vs. Belgium, Yildirim vs. Italy and others, sparked particular interest of the participants.

To enhance necessary practical skills, the participants broke in teams and worked on a number of case studies to provide their criminal assessment. The aim of these exercises was to learn how to distinguish trafficking cases from related offences using acquired theoretical knowledge. What is more important, the participants specifically focused of the rights of victims of trafficking in accordance with international standards defined in treaties and conventions. The judges learned from their colleague about Moldova’s experience in ensuring human rights of the victims during the trial process as well as applying extended compensation.

National experts delivered presentation on Turkmenistan’s legislation in the area of combating human trafficking, distinction between trafficking in human beings and related offences, psychosocial profiles and needs of victims, and concept of vulnerability. The knowledge and skills acquired during the trainings will help the practitioners to distinguish between the trafficking cases and related offences as well as ensure the protection of the rights of victims of trafficking.

These trainings are part of series of training sessions and events, conducted by IOM Mission in Turkmenistan in the area of combating human trafficking supported by US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and implemented together with the Government of Turkmenistan under the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking for 2016-2018.

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For additional questions, please contact:

Dovlet Chariyev

IOM Communication Focal Point

E-mail: dchariyev@iom.int

Tel:+99312 488407