UN provides training to Kurdistan’s Halabja police officers on human rights principles

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Police officers in the Kurdistan Region’s city of Halabja on Thursday completed a two-day training course organized by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Human Rights Office (HRO) on core human rights principles related to police work.

“The training course on Aug. 29 and 30, entitled ‘Rights of Persons Under Investigation,’ is part of a series of activities by UNAMI-HRO to support regional institutions and civil society organizations in protecting and promoting human rights in the Kurdistan Region,” the UNAMI statement read.

Forty officers, 39 of which were men and one woman, from the Halabja Directorate of Police attended the course.

“The training course examined general principles and concepts of human rights law, including United Nations reporting and review mechanisms and state obligations,” the statement continued.

“It also addressed the rights of detained persons under international, Iraqi, and Kurdistan Regional law, and the role of police in protecting the rights of freedom of expression and assembly.”

Eric Husketh of the UNAMI Human Rights Office hoped the training course would help participants view human rights law as a tool to perform their important work to the highest standards.

Barzan Othman Mohammed, the head of the Halabja Police Department, described the course as essential and crucial in spreading awareness among the police and improving their skills.

“It is important for us to learn best practices for the treatment of detainees and develop our awareness of important human rights discussed in the training,” Mohammed stated

“As our governorate police are very new, we need UNAMI’s support and training and are grateful for UNAMI coming to Halabja.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany