[legal-professionals] OSCE helps train Armenian judges in new Criminal Code

YEREVAN, 25 August 2003 - Judges from all levels of the Armenian court
system have been given training, jointly organized by the OSCE Office in
Yerevan, to improve their knowledge and understanding of the country's new
Criminal Code, which came into force on 1 August.

Participants in a three-day course, held in Tsakhkadzor from 22 to 24
August, included about 40 criminal court judges, as well as
representatives of the Justice Ministry, the Union of Judges, the Council
of Europe and the OSCE itself.

The aim of the training programme and related discussions, held under the
auspices an OSCE-supported project, is to increase knowledge and
understanding about the reform of Armenia's criminal legislation and
assist the judges in interpreting and applying its provisions in light of
the comments provided by drafters of the Code and other relevant experts.

Copies of the new Criminal Code guidelines for implementation (prepared by
the Governmental Working Group which drafted the Code) and a document
comparing the old and new Codes, were distributed to all participants.

Participants mainly discussed issues related to reviewing sentences on the
basis of the new Code, notion and types of crime, and assignment of
punishment Additionally, the training helps the judges to understand the
role of international and European standards in applying domestic criminal
legislation norms.

Issues raised during discussion at the training course also help to
identify areas of possible improvement to the new Criminal Code, based on
the feedback from judges concerning further amendments.

The course organizers, the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Armenian Ministry
of Justice and the Union of Judges, intend to continue this active
consultation process with the view to improving the application of the
Criminal Code. Financial support for the course is provided by the
OSCE/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.


Latest news from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) - http://www.osce.org