Three-day training of trainers (ToT) on “Selected issues of new Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia” was organised for 16 trainers of the Justice Academy, School of Advocates and Educational Complex of the Police on 8-10 October 2021 in Aghveran, Armenia. This was the first ToT held after the adoption of the new Criminal Procedure Code on 30 June 2021.

In the first part of the ToT, the participants learnt about the principles of the criminal proceedings, public and private participants in the proceedings, evidence and proving, compulsory measures such as arrest, detention, house arrest and administrative supervision, as well as initiation of the criminal proceedings.

The second part of the ToT was devoted to the discussions on public criminal prosecution, undercover investigative actions, judicial safeguards of the pre-trial proceedings, judicial review, as well as   certain types of court hearings and proceedings. In addition, the trainers were equipped with knowledge essential for delivery of high-quality trainings on criminal legislation and were guided to link the newly acquired knowledge with their practical experience and enhanced their skills.

The participants of the ToT were welcomed by Maxime Longangue, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan and by Ashot Hayrapetyan, Deputy Rector of the Justice Academy. The head of the former Working Group Hrayr Ghukasyan and member of the Working Group Davit Melkonyan, that was tasked to prepare the new Criminal Procedure Code, delivered the training, which was also contributed by Jeremy McBride, CoE international consultant who carried out expertise of the new Code in 2017 and 2019.

The ToT was organised in cooperation with the Justice Academy within the framework of the Project “Supporting the criminal justice reform and harmonising the application of the European standards in Armenia" funded within the European Union and Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance.