EUAM supports Odesa judges to enhance skills for complex trials
May 31, 2019
A training conducted from 28 – 30 May by British judges helped 30 Ukrainian judges from the Odesa region to enhance their skills for managing complex criminal trials and handling witnesses. The training was organised by the EU Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM) and carried out with judicial experts from the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple from the United Kingdom in partnership with the National School of Judges of Ukraine.
This pilot project for judicial training follows on from a recent advocacy training for prosecutors. This was delivered by EUAM together with prosecution experts and took place in the Courts in Odesa and at the National Academy of Prosecutors of Ukraine in Kyiv.
Jonathan Ratel, the Senior Advisor on Prosecutions said “EUAM is firmly committed to delivering the highest standards of continuing legal education for the judiciary and prosecutors engaged in criminal trials and the proper administration of justice in Ukraine. EUAM is extremely pleased to work in close partnership with the National School of Judges and the National Academy of Prosecutors in Ukraine, together with high level judicial experts from the United Kingdom, in order to ensure EU standards for fair and transparent criminal trials in Ukraine and due process of law.
“The British adversarial system, involving case analysis of criminal trials and trial management by judges, working with mass media and civil society provides many useful case studies in best practice that are highly relevant for Ukraine. The training model of a mock trial hearing involving a complex criminal trial with forensic evidence and scientific opinion evidence, submissions by legal counsel, and developing the skills of examination-in-chief and cross examination of adverse witnesses is key to advancing the criminal trial process in Ukraine.”
“We’ve been very privileged to train such an enthusiastic group of people”, said the lead trainer Mark Ockelton, Vice President of the Upper Tribunal. “And, judging from the reception that we’ve had, our training was found to be very useful for the participants to be building a modern Ukrainian judiciary upon”.
The EU Civilian Operations Commander for Common Security and Defence Policy Missions Vincenzo Coppola and the EUAM Head of MissionKęstutis Lančinskas , visited the judicial training in process and closely observed the proceedings with interest.
Further judicial training in advanced advocacy in Ukraine is now in planning and EUAM is working closely with judicial and prosecution authorities in Ukraine to deliver high level training, together with judicial experts from the UK and the EU.
