The two courses will last for three days each till 18 July in Tashkent with 50 participants dealing with human rights issues from the relevant departments of the Interior Ministry, its subdivisions in Tashkent city, and Djizak, Syrdarya and Tashkent regions.

“The OSCE is working with the Interior Ministry to promote awareness for human rights standards within the police. The OSCE has a rich experience to share in promoting democratic policing,” said Ambassador György Szabó, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, at the opening ceremony.

Participants in the training will study the basic principles of human rights and the international system of human rights protection. Case studies will be conducted on the role of law enforcement agencies in ensuring inter alia the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and privacy.

The current courses are financed by the Government of Germany and are part of larger co-operation between the OSCE Project Co-ordinator and the Interior Ministry on human rights. Four more training courses are scheduled to be held towards the end of 2012.