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PROGRAMME
Name Protection against torture
Type Distance education
Organising institution
Human Rights Education Associates, United States of America
Frequency Annual
Start date 02/01/2013
End date 12/03/2013
Objectives This e-learning course provides participants with knowledge of the international standards and international mechanisms for protection against torture. It explores the concepts of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment on the basis of international law and jurisprudence. The major sources of the latter are the European Court of Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Committee, the UN Committee against Torture and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The course also introduces the international mechanisms for protection against torture and CID treatment or punishment. It deals with four types of mechanisms: reviews by the UN statutory bodies; reviews of country reports before the UN treaty bodies; international complaints mechanisms and the mechanisms for prevention of torture and CID treatment or punishment at the UN, Council of Europe and national levels.
Content Week 1: Formulation of the ban and its status as a norm of international law
Week 2: International mechanisms for protection against torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Week 3: The concept of torture
Week 4: Cruel and inhuman treatment
Week 5-6: Open weeks
Week 7: Degrading treatment
Week 8: Inhuman or degrading punishment
Week 9: Positive duties of the states – I
Week 10: Positive duties of the states – II
Week 11: Standard and burden of proof of torture and CID treatment or punishment
Week 12: Prevention of torture and CID treatment or punishment: the UN and the Council of Europe systems
Week 13: National preventive mechanisms and the role of the NGOs
Language English
Methodology used The course involves 60 hours of reading, on-line working groups, interaction with students and the instructor, assignments and webinars and is offered over a 11-week period, beginning on 2 January 2013. The course is based on participatory, active learning approach, with an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning. It draws on a variety of sources, including reports and decisions of international human rights bodies and academic literature. Some of the readings were prepared for the specific purposes of the course. Occasionally, participants will be presented with fact patterns and will be asked to apply the standards, which they learned, to resolve cases.
Delivered by Dr. Krassimir Kanev
Degree/Certificate Students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Participation.
Number of participants Maximum 25
01/12/2012
Application procedure Apply online : http://www.hrea.org/application
Admission requirements The course is particularly intended for human rights defenders, NGO staff, staff of intern-governmental organisations with a mandate to prevent torture and ill-treatment, and law enforcement officials, prison officials and other professionals that work in closed institutions. Candidates should have a good written command of English and have high competence and comfort with computer and Internet use.
Scholarship Unfortunately, there are no scholarships available for this course.
Tuition/Accommodation The course tuition fee is US$ 725; permanent residents of non-OECD countries are eligible for a discounted tuition rate of US$ 450. Tuition for auditors is US$ 275; permanent residents of non-OECD countries are eligible for a discounted tuition rate of US$ 175.
Homepage www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=907&language_id=1
Additional information Current member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

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