A group of prosecutors and judges specialized in investigating cases of trafficking in human beings (THB) participated, between November 30, 2022 and December 2, 2022, at the winter school “Strengthening the response of law enforcement bodies to the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings”.
At the beginning of the event, representatives of the organizing institutions Ecaterina Popa, ad interim director of the National Institute of Justice, Lars Johan Lonnback, Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission to the Republic of Moldova, and Christian Burstall, political officer of the US Embassy in the Republic of Moldova, came with welcome messages.
The participants were trained by trainers Elena Cobzac, judge of the Supreme Court of Justice, Kees Klomp, judge specialized in human trafficking cases in the Netherlands, Sergiu Russu, acting Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office for combating organized crime and special cases, and Viorica Bucşa, expert psychologist THB.
The winter school aimed to increase the knowledge and practical skills of judges and prosecutors in investigating and solving cases of trafficking in human beings, trafficking of children, illegal migration, as well as other related crimes, with specific aspects of the judicial process, including the hearing of the victims and the accused. During the sessions, the trainees learned about the experience of Dutch judges on the THB segment. Being divided into small groups, participants also examined cases covering different types of exploitation, as well as acquittal sentences that were subsequently amended in higher courts.
It should be noted that the National Institute of Justice carries out the training of prosecutors and judges in the field of combating trafficking in human beings and other related crimes, with a victim-centered approach, being among the objectives included in the National Strategy for preventing and combating trafficking in human beings for 2018-2023 and in the National Action Plan for Human Rights for 2018-2022.
