26 Czech judges, prosecutors and judicial assistants took part in a seminar on combating trafficking in human beings and the launch of the HELP course. The event was organised on 2 December 2019 and was hosted by the Czech Judicial Academy.
The programme included sessions on European standards and case law, focusing on the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
The participants got familiarised with the Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) Programme of the Council of Europe and its e-learning platform containing 34 online courses.
The Seminar started with a welcome address by Jana Zapletalová Koláčková from the Czech Judicial Academy, and Czech HELP Focal Point. Ana-Maria Telbis, coordinator of the European Union-Council of Europe “HELP in the EU” project presented the HELP Programme and the European Union-Council of Europe “HELP in the EU” project.
The morning session continued with a presentation by Petya Nestorova, Head of Division and Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, who explained to the participants the work carried out by the Council of Europe in this field, as well as the key findings and recommendations of the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA). She also introduced the participants to the HELP course on Combatting Traficking in Human Beings.
Parosha Chandran, Professor at King’s College London and co-author of the HELP online course on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, presented the key definitions and concepts, giving an overview of relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, and focusing on the implementation of the non-punishment principle.
Participants met the tutors who will accompany them in the implementation of the course for the following three months, namely Jana Zezulová, Public Prosecutor at the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office and Jana Zapletalova Kolackova from the Judicial Academy. They explained to the participants how the course will be implemented and also pinpointed some practical challenges in the Czech national context concerning trafficking in human beings, for participants to reflect upon and follow up in their exchanges during the course. The participants also had the possibility to share their expectations from the course and exchange with their colleagues.
Following the launch event, all participants will be enrolled on the course page and will go through the online course. Those among them who successfully complete the course will receive HELP certificates issued by the Council of Europe.
The Council of Europe HELP online course on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings is also available to any legal professional interested in the topic, in the self-learning part of the HELP e-learning platform, in English, Russian and Serbian and will soon be made available in Czech.
Beside the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, the course explores the case law of the European Court of Human Rights as well as other international legal instruments and national good practices, focusing on the protection of the victims of human trafficking. The course was developed in 2017 and explores the topics in a practical way, by using presentations, interactive screens, knowledge tests and reflective exercises. It is structured in the following modules: Introduction and legal framework; Definitions and legal concepts; Identification of victims of human trafficking; Assistance for victims of human trafficking; The non-punishment principle; Investigation, Prosecution and Victims’ rights; Sentencing; Compensation for victims of human trafficking; Return and Repatriation.
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