Sutyajnik, Yekaterinburg (Russia)
5th Ural Human Rights School on 'Problems of the penitentiary system reforms in Russia, European countries and the United States'
13 - 18 April 2015
Deadline for application: 30 March 2015

Sutyajnik is a non-governmental human rights organization founded in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 1994. Sutyajnik is a human rights resource center that helps citizens and organizations realize rights guaranteed in the Russian Constitution and international treaties by litigating public interest cases, educating in human rights, and informing the public about the mechanisms for human rights protection. One of Sutyajnik’s principal goals is to defend human rights by working to bring domestic legislation and practice into conformity with international and constitutional standards. 

Sutyajnik organizes its 5th Ural International Human Rights School in Yekaterinburg from 13 - 18 April 2015 as a set of events including a conference, seminars, master classes, work in small groups and a model court.

If you or your organisation are involved in the reform of the penitentiary system, teach law, advocate incarcerated persons, take part in the public monitoring of places of detention – this event is for you. 
Conference 
The participation in the conference is open to everyone. A competition will be conducted to select participants for the training. Some of the seminars and master classes will be free to attend by anyone wishing to do so; the list of these will be announced separately.

List of speakers
• Francoise Tulkens, retired Vice-President and Judge of the European Court of Human Rights (Belgium, France). Speaking on the subject of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights which Resulted in Reforms of Penitentiary Systems in European Countries.
• Andrey Esin, Human Rights Project Manager, Council of Europe. Speaking on the subject of the Council of Europe Standards on the Treatment of Prisoners: the Conditions under which Prisoners are Held, Healthcare in Places of Detention.
• Damien Scalia, Swiss National Science Foundation and at the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Deviance and Penalty (Universite catholique de Louvain, Belgium). Subject – the System of the UN Agencies for the Protection of Prisoners' Rights.
• Simon Creighton, lawyer, partner at a law firm specializing on the protection of prisoners’ rights (UK). Speaking on the subject of the Role of the ECtHR in the Promotion of the Right for Early/Conditional Release and the Right to Life in Detention: the UK Experience.
• Deborah Coles, Co-Director at INQUEST Charitable Trust. Speaking on the subject of Deaths in Custody: the Role of Family, Care for Prisoners, Suicide Prevention, Healthcare.
• Hugues de Suremain, lawyer at the Paris Bar specializing in the protection of prisoners’ rights. Speaking on the subject of the Role of ECtHR in the Development of the Prison Law in France – Solitary Confinement, Body Search, Transfers due to Security Considerations, Application of Special Force and Means.
• Professor Leonard Hammer, Hebrew University (Israel). Speaking on the subject of the Privatisation of Prisons in Israel.
• Professor Bill Bowring, Director LLM/MA Human Rights, School of Law, Birkbeck Gollege, University of London, barrister. Speaking on the subject of the Penitentiary System Reform in Georgia.

The list of speakers is not exhaustive and will be updated regularly. The detailed programme will be published on the Sutyajnik website. To register for the Conference, you have to fill out a short form.

Training
Following the Conference, an interactive training will take place on the subject of the 'Protection of Prisoners’ Rights' from 15 to 18 of April. The training will include seminars, master classes and moot case studies in small groups. The training will be conducted by the above-mentioned conference speakers as well Russian experts in the following fields:
• Prisoners’ Living Conditions
• Abuse of Security Measures
• Healthcare in Places of Detention
• Suicide Prevention
• Convicts’ Right to a Fair Trial: Access to Legal Aid (Criminal, Civil, Administrative, and Disciplinary Cases)
• Right to Privacy and Family Life (Meetings with Family Members, Correspondence, Confidentiality, Right to Conceive Children)
• Right to Work
• Life Imprisonment as Cruel and Unusual Punishment
• Case Studies in Small Groups
• The treatment of vulnerable groups in prison (women, including mothers, minors and those with chronic illnesses, including persons with disabilities).

Simultaneous interpretation of the event will be taken care of by Turianski&Wolfsson. 

Who should apply
The organizers welcome applications from lawyers from NGOs, employees of human rights ombudsmen’s offices, barristers, solicitors, law school teachers who have a degree in law and are experienced in the protection of prisoners’ rights. Teaching experience (university, NGO seminars) is a plus and will be seen as an advantage in the selection process.

Participants will receive a certificate of participation. Please submit your application to participate in the training by following this link.

Conditions for participating in the training
Only persons who have submitted applications on time, passed the selection process and received a personal invitation listing the participation conditions will be able to participate. Following the result of the selection contest the organizers may offer the out-of-town participants a limited number of grants to cover a part of expenses involved in the participation in the training.

Application forms will be accepted until 30 March 2015, 24.00 hours (Yekaterinburg time).

Application forms must be filled out online. Please fill out application forms responsibly. Once the selection process is complete, the selected participants will receive personal invitations.