ASF trains human rights volunteers

RWAMAGANA- Advocates without Borders (Avocats sans frontier (ASF) has trained various volunteers in monitoring and reporting of human rights abuses in the Eastern Province.

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Attentive volunteers listen to the trainer.

RWAMAGANA- Advocates without Borders (Avocats sans frontier (ASF) has trained various volunteers in monitoring and reporting of human rights abuses in the Eastern Province.

Addressing the trainees on Wednesday, Albert Muhayeyezu the ASF coordinator urged participants to always report human rights abuses.

ASF helps mostly vulnerable groups, including children. It also helps suspects in different government prisons who cannot afford lawyers to defend them.

"We also sensitise them on matters regarding justice, so that they do not become victims of ignorance,” he said.

Fredrick Karangwa, of the National Human Rights Commission observed that there is need for human rights activists to possess values that they champion.

"There are some fundamentals, people doing this kind of work must possess; professional qualities, code of conduct, neutrality, confidentiality and credibility,” he told the trainees.

Jolly Ntungire one of the volunteers, said the training had equipped participants with the necessary knowledge to monitor and report human rights abuses in their respective localities.

The officials commended the government’s decision to waive the death penalty. Present was Emmanuel Mutabazi of Human Rights Watch.

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