Investigative interviewing is a modern approach to conducting interviews and an important element of ensuring effective investigations. At the request of the Office of the Prosecutor General and in co-operation with the Prosecutors’ Training Centre of Ukraine, the Council of Europe project “Fostering Human Rights in the Criminal Justice System in Ukraine – Phase II”, jointly with JustGroup, organised a basic training programme on investigative interviewing on 5-7 May 2026. The programme brought together 26 practitioners from ten regions of Ukraine and five criminal justice institutions.
Investigative interviewing represents a modern standard for conducting interviews and gathering information, based on communication-building, respect for human rights, and improving the quality of information obtained. The aim of the basic programme was to develop a shared understanding of this approach, strengthen participants’ practical skills, and lay the foundation for its further application in daily professional activities.
The programme participants included prosecutors from units dealing with human rights violations in the law enforcement and penitentiary sectors, detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Bureau of Economic Security, as well as investigators from the National Police of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the State Bureau of Investigation. During the practical sessions, participants developed skills in establishing psychological rapport, managing communication during interviews, addressing their own biases, and conducting simulated interviews involving professional actors.
The Council of Europe continues to support the implementation of modern approaches to criminal investigations aimed at ensuring the effectiveness of investigations and compliance with human rights standards.
The event was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe project “Fostering Human Rights in the Criminal Justice System in Ukraine – Phase II”, which is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.
