UNAMI-HRO Human Rights Training for Detention Facility Officers in Erbil

The training course, entitled “Rights of Persons in Detention,” is part of a series of activities by UNAMI HRO to support regional institutions and civil society organizations in protecting and promoting human rights in the Kurdistan Region. The course held on 23 and 26 September, was attended by 32 officers (31 men and one woman), all working in the Gwer facility.

The training course examined general principles and concepts of human rights law, the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the rights of detainees at the stages of arrest, investigation, and prosecution, and the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials. It also addressed the right to bodily integrity and protection against torture. Sessions included video presentations, working groups, and applied exercises.

In opening remarks, Mr. Eric Husketh, UNAMI HRO human rights officer, noted that the participants interact with the reality of human rights every day in their work and that treatment of detainees reflects the fundamental values of a society.

The director of the Gwer facility, Lt. Col. Khasro Ghazi Khoshnaw, thanked UNAMI HRO for delivering the training course. He stressed the importance of human rights in law enforcement and encouraged the officers to consider human rights principles in their daily work, especially when dealing directly with detainees.