680 Policemen in Sulaymaniyah Receive UN Training on Human Rights Principles

The 2-5 April 2017 training courses were held under the auspices of the Directorate of Training and Rehablitation in the General Directorate of Police in Sulaymaniyah/Ministry of Interior-Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Human Rights Office (HRO) of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) conducted the training courses.

Police are often the first responders and are best placed to provide immediate protection of human rights of the people they serve. They help providing security and a safe environment by preventing crimes and defusing social conflicts, especially during demonstrations and protests.

The training courses addressed 680 Policemen in Sulaymaniyah. The courses aimed at reinforcing the understanding of law and order, human rights and fundamental freedoms, crowd control and human rights, and respect for the principles of legality, necessity, and non-discrimination.

Major Sarkhel Ahmed, Education Officer at the Directorate of Training and Rehabilitation in Sulaymaniyah, thanked HRO for its usual support and appreciated the presentations provided by HRO to the participants. He stated that this kind of training helps to improve the professional performance of police, particularly during investigations and when they deal with demonstrations.

The goal of the trainings is to help Police serve the community efficiently. To do this, Police must have human rights standards firmly incorporated into rules governing their operations. In their daily work, Police should respect and protect human dignity, and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons.