Thirty-two Albanian lawyers are now better equipped to defend people’s right to liberty and security following a training on Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights and European Court of Human Rights case law and standards. Key issues included judicial reasoning, procedural safeguards, the duration and periodic review of detention, and alternatives to detention.

Led by lawyers from the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights, the training explored practical issues that arise in detention cases, drawing on their practical experience of the European Court’s work. They provided practical guidance on submitting an application to the Court, helping the participants better understand the Court’s procedures.

Participants also exchanged views with the lawyers of the Court on the requirement to exhaust domestic remedies and the steps involved in bringing a case before the Court. They described the exchange as highly valuable, highlighting the insight it provided into the Court’s work and clearer understanding they gained of how to access it.

This training was organised by the Council of Europe’s project on Strengthening the capacities of the Albanian judiciary to better apply standards on the right to liberty and security, in co-operation with the Albanian National Bar Association. The project is funded by the Human Rights Trust Fund (HRTF) which brings together eight Council of Europe member states: Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom.