Mauritius (Commonwealth Union)_This week, the Commonwealth Secretariat is in Mauritius working with the government to provide training on local law enforcement and assist in improving their relationships with the various communities that make up the country. This will be accomplished through the training of police officers on applied human rights principles. The Human Rights Unit of the Commonwealth Secretariat is undertaking this intensive five-day training with more than 500 new police officials and senior officials in Mauritius at the request of the government.
On the opening day of the workshop, M. Rassen, Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Mauritius Police Force, said, “I am sure that this tailored training which both our trainees and old hands will be undergoing for the next five days, will be an opportunity for them to take note of the latest developments in the field of torture prevention and will also create awareness on the challenges faced by police officers in their endless quest to ensure a balance between the requirements of maintaining public security and order, as well as the respect for and preservation of human rights”. He added: “There’s no doubt that this program will constitute a fertile platform for vigorous debates and the exchange of experiences related to best practices in implementing legal guarantees in the battle against torture and other brutal, inhuman, and degrading treatment.”
Commenting on the significance of this workshop, Shavana Haythornthwaite, head of the Human Rights Unit of the Commonwealth Secretariat, said: “Police and other law enforcement authorities play a crucial role in the protection of human rights. Our global program of work includes promoting a greater understanding of, and an enhanced skill set on, how to prevent breaches of human rights, and enhancing the relationships between law enforcement and communities.”
“This week, the Human Rights Unit will strengthen the capacity of the Mauritius Police Force and Prison Service in these areas, to facilitate the enjoyment of human rights, which in turn, will enhance the efficiency of the criminal justice system,” Shavana added. “We promote capacity-building in this area to all law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth and look forward to collaborating with our member countries further.”
The training is being held from November 14th to the 18th and emphasizes international human rights principles, particularly those applicable to the prevention of torture. It will instruct the police on how to include techniques for protection against torture into their daily operations. Further, the workshop will focus on the practical application of best practices for techniques of interrogation and interviewing that help prevent torture; detention conditions; the role of different actors, including legal and medical professionals, in the prevention of torture; and the special needs of vulnerable groups when they are deprived of their freedom.
