August 2010
More than 30 Armenian advocates, public defenders, prosecutors, investigators and police officers participated in a joint training on effective application of articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)—articles that address liberty protection, security, detention rights and fair trial.
Held in Jermuk, Armenia, from July 30 to August 1, the training was also a discussion forum and a networking opportunity, allowing justice sector professionals to engage in more constructive communication, to create strategies for pending cases and to develop effective client-assistance plans.
The training, which involved practical exercises, focused on the presumption of innocence, international speedy trial requirements, pre-trial detention and various evidentiary issues. It also discussed recent decisions of the Constitutional Court of Armenia that interpret the Armenian Criminal Procedure Code. Steve Kessler and Davit Khachaturyan of the U.S. Embassy’s Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) Office and Armenian strategic litigation experts Ara Ghazaryan and Artak Zeynalyan led the training.
Participants examined, debated and analyzed a hypothetical case, concluding the training with a mock trial where participants—divided into two groups representing the prosecution and the defense—argued the merits of the case.
The training was organized by the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) and the RLA Office of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia. Since 2009, ABA ROLI has trained more than 350 Armenian legal professionals on ECHR provisions. Another 150 practitioners will receive similar trainings over the next year.
To learn more about our work in Armenia, contact the ABA Rule of Law Initiative at <[email protected]>.