Ukraine, Greece and Portugal held training sessions on international human rights standards in places of detention, bringing together more than 230 participants
Between March and April 2026, Human Rights Centre ZMINA, together with its partners from Greece (the Themistocles and Dimitris Tsatsos Foundation – Centre for European Constitutional Law) and Portugal (Forum Penal), organised a series of training sessions aimed at strengthening professionals’ knowledge of international and national legal frameworks and standards governing prisoners’ access to justice. The training sessions formed part of the project’s broader efforts to prevent ill-treatment and strengthen fundamental rights in places of detention.
Image: Generated using AIThe participants explored European human rights standards in detail, including the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, the work of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and international mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the rights of people deprived of their liberty.
Nine online seminars were held across the three countries, combining introductory and advanced modules tailored to different levels of experience. The sessions used participatory methods and practical exercises, with a focus on tools for litigation, advocacy and monitoring.
More than 230 people took part in the training sessions, including lawyers, representatives of civil society organisations, prison officers, academics, National Preventive Mechanism monitors, representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and journalists.
More information about the training sessions organised by Human Rights Centre ZMINA is available at the following links:
- 21 April – a training session on European standards for the prevention of ill-treatment in the penitentiary system;
- 28–29 April – training sessions on international human rights standards in places of detention and the use of international mechanisms to protect those rights.
The project also produced a study on prisoners’ access to justice in Ukraine and a comparative study examining the experiences of Ukraine, Greece and Portugal.
The studies and training sessions were carried out as part of the project DIGNITY: Bridging Views for a Rights-Based Approach to Pre-Trial Detention, funded by the European Union.
