The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, conducted a series of training courses for investigative judges in Khiva and Samarkand on enhancing professional competencies and practical skills in safeguarding human rights and fundamental freedoms, held on 27-28 April in Khiva and 30 April-1 May in Samarkand.
The training brought together judges from the Bukhara, Khorezm, Samarkand and Karakalpakstan, providing a platform to strengthen their capacity to uphold human rights standards, assess evidence effectively and deliver fair, well-reasoned judicial decisions.
Led by two international judicial experts, the courses combined practical case studies, interactive discussions and experience-sharing sessions. Participants explored international human rights standards and learned how to apply them in the national context, while also examining best practices from other countries.
One of the international experts, Claudia Fenz, shared her reflections on the training, praising the highly engaged and attentive audience and their insightful discussions. She also highlighted the importance of continuous judicial training in ensuring effective protection of fundamental freedoms, emphasizing that strengthening investigative judges' competencies plays a key role in maintaining fairness, legality and public trust in the justice system.
The programme placed particular emphasis on the protection of vulnerable groups and the prevention of violence, including violence against women and girls. Through hands-on exercises, participants were able to immediately apply newly acquired knowledge to real-life scenarios.
