One hundred and twenty Palestinian security officers have graduated from a three-month human rights programme, funded by the European Union, in a training described by its organizers as “one of the most effective mechanisms to create a society free of torture and based on justice and human rights”.
On 13 September, a graduation ceremony was held for the 120 Detention and Investigation officers from Palestinian security agencies, who underwent the training, titled “Enhancing respect of Human Rights” and organized by the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center Victims of Torture “TRC” and the Center for Defense of Liberties and Human Rights “Hurriyat”.
The training, which lasted for three months, was held for five groups of officers, two in Ramallah and one in each of Nablus, Jenin and Hebron. It comes as a part of a three-year project titled “Breaking the Silence, Saying No to Torture”, funded and co-financed by the European Union, contributing 80% of the project’s budget of 628,000 Euros.
The training focused on a variety of topics and concepts related to the promotion of universal human rights and the best mechanisms to guarantee the application of international law. These topics included Palestinian fundamental law, international human rights concepts and traditions including the convention against torture and the Geneva Convention, and human rights during emergencies. Additional topics related to primary investigation and its procedures, the relation between security officers and citizens, rights and duties of security officers and the practical challenges faced by the judicial officers during investigations.
Practical aspects were included in the training through the presentation of case studies drawn from TRC files that present personal, individualized stories of torture and its impacts, the theory and practice of non-violent conflict resolution and good governance.
Among the participants, and in addition to the staff of TRC and Hurriyat, the ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministry of Interior and representatives of the Ministry, local and international non-governmental organizations and the European Union, in addition to representatives of local media.
Dr. Mahmud Sehwail, the general director of TRC, opened the graduation ceremony by giving his welcoming address, in which he reminded that education and dissemination of information relating to the prohibition of torture through such trainings represents one of the most effective mechanisms to create a society free of torture and based on justice and human rights. He also pointed to the belief that raising awareness and knowledge is the foremost way to influence values, behavior and understanding among the different social sectors and public officials.
For his part, the representative of the Ministry of Interior, Brigadier General Majid Al Howwari, highlighted the importance of the historical relationship between the Ministry and TRC; as well, he demonstrated the urgent need to provide the security officials with such trainings to further introduce them to the human rights and international law.
Mr. Bart Denys the Task Manager Security Sector Reform at the European Commission stated that it is time to implement such training on ground in order to empower the state building plan and to enhance the legitimacy of the security forces through the respect of human rights.
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