In September – October 2026, the second Training of Trainers (ToT) course entitled “Combating Discrimination, Hate Speech, and Hate Crimes: International Standards, Judicial Practice, and Methodology for Judicial Training” was organised by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the National School of Judges of Ukraine. The training course comprised three interactive webinars and a two-day in-person concluding event.
The course was designed for around 20 judges serving in courts in frontline areas. Under martial law, the operation of judicial authorities in these regions requires heightened attention to human rights compliance and the consistent application of European non-discrimination standards.
The online module examined key European and international standards in depth. Participants explored the concept of non-discrimination through the lens of Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and its Protocol No. 12, analysing the forms and elements of discrimination and how the burden of proof works in discrimination cases. Furthermore, the webinars examined the boundary between hate speech and freedom of expression, using the six-part threshold test of the United Nations Rabat Plan of Action, criteria for evaluating online speech, and how to establish bias motivation when examining hate crime cases.
The concluding two-day session, held on 15–16 October 2026 in Truskavets, focused on practical teaching methodologies, designing training materials, analysing comprehensive case studies, and delivering micro-teaching sessions. A highlight was a guest lecture by Nataliia Miliukhina, Assistant Judge at the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court and a graduate of the first ToT course (April 2026), who shared how she applied what she learned in judicial practice and in her teaching for the National School of Judges of Ukraine.
The course is an important step in strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian judges and will contribute to a more consistent application of Council of Europe standards in the field of non-discrimination and hate speech in Ukraine. As a concrete next step, the trained judges are expected to serve as trainers for the National School of Judges of Ukraine, using the course materials and knowledge to deliver upcoming training sessions
The training was delivered within the framework of the Council of Europe project “Support for Reform of the Legal Framework on National Minorities and Strengthening the Resilience of National Minorities and Roma in Ukraine – Phase II” and the EU/CoE Joint Project “Support for Implementing European Standards Relating to Anti-Discrimination and Rights of National Minorities in Ukraine – Phase II”.
