Twenty-five senior inspectors on prisoners’ rights and torture prevention from the Criminal Executive Service of Ukraine completed a four-day training in Truskavets, Ukraine, from 26 to 29 May 2025. As a result, they increased their knowledge of the Council of Europe and other international standards in the field of prevention and investigation of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in penal institutions.

The training enhanced the inspectors’ professional capacity and deepened their understanding of key standards, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, the European Prison Rules, and the standards of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. Facilitated by the Council of Europe consultants, the training combined theoretical presentations with practical case studies and interactive group work applying these standards in daily inspection work. This approach allowed the participants to simulate various scenarios and learn how to respond to them.

The key outcomes of the training, among other, include improved skills gained through case-based learning and peer exchanges and enhanced readiness to promote human rights and accountability in detention facilities.

The activity was conducted as part of structured support to strengthening safeguards against torture and other forms of ill-treatment in prisons within the Council of Europe Project “Towards More Humane Conditions of Detention and Reduced Reoffending in Ukraine” (DECOPRIS), implemented under the auspices of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine ‘Resilience, recovery and reconstruction’.