10 February, 2010. Mari El Republic. Human rights organizations “Human being and Law” and “Committee against Torture” (Nizhniy Novgorod) held a two-day seminar within the framework of the joint project “Comprehensive rehabilitation of victims of tortures and a change of anti-torture policy of the state”. The program is supported by the European Commission.

More than 70 representatives of police officers of town and regional departments of the Interior Ministry, representatives of the Supreme Court and Public Prosecutor’s office of Mari El Republic. The main purpose of the meeting is legal enlightenment of the staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

During the first day the participants of the seminar discussed international and Russian standards in the field of protection of human rights. Representatives of the Supreme Court and Non-Adult Affairs Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Mari El Republic made their reports.

A deputy minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Mari El Republic Nikolai Lipatov opened the seminar. He paid much attention to the fact that nowadays it is necessary to carry out enlightening activities in the field of protection of human rights for the staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The second day of the seminar is devoted to the questions of prevention of violations of human rights in the field of the staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. For this purpose participants of the seminar will be divided into three working groups.

Organizers of the seminar noticed that many police officers had taken part in the enlightening seminars of RPO “Human being and Law” not for the first time. Now it is seen a different level of legal awareness of the audience: now police staff understands the notion of human rights. The work with such listeners is easier and more productive.