Nineteen judges and public prosecutors in Serbia have successfully completed a specialised Council of Europe course on combating trafficking in human beings and protecting victims, enhancing their capacity to tackle one of the gravest human rights violations.

Organised under the “Strengthening anti-trafficking action in Serbia” and Council of Europe’s HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) programme, the two-month course was launched on 22 April in Belgrade in cooperation with the Judicial Academy and with the support of the action “HELP in the Western Balkans”. The course aimed to strengthen the capacities of legal professionals to apply Council of Europe and European standards in addressing trafficking in human beings.

Throughout the course, participants deepened their understanding of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and strengthened their ability to adopt a human rights-based and victim-centred approach in their daily work. Their active engagement reflects a strong commitment to enhancing the protection of victims and ensuring effective prosecution of traffickers in line with European standards.

Delivered by experienced tutors – retired Supreme Court judge and Judicial Academy lecturer Biljana Sinanović and Marija Anđelković, director of the NGO ASTRA – the course was tailored to Serbia’s legal and institutional context. It covered key topics including victim identification and assistance, the principle of non-punishment, effective investigation and prosecution, and access to compensation, while also addressing emerging forms of exploitation.

This activity is part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”. It supports national stakeholders in Serbia in enhancing institutional capacities and aligning practices with European standards, including the recommendations of the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA).