Training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the Austrian Ombudsman Board

This training is part of ODIHR’s continuous work on preventing torture and strengthening the independent monitoring of places of detention in the OSCE region. Building on training successfully delivered to the Polish and Slovenian National Prevention Mechanisms (NPM) in 2018 and 2019, ODIHR will run this online training on monitoring weapons and restraints for the Austrian Ombudsman Board.

The training aims to increase the ability of staff and members of the NPM to monitor, document and analyse the use of weapons and restraints by law enforcement during arrest, riot control activities and in detention settings against international legal norms and standards and national legislation. This includes the use of electric shock weapons, batons, restraints and tear gas. The training will be tailored to the local context and will include reference to the Austrian legislation and a specific focus on the use of Taser. In addition, it will provide the basis to further develop the monitoring methodology used by Austria’s NPM and to elaborate on concrete recommendations on the use of Taser and associated issues to the Austrian authorities.

The training will be conducted based on the ODIHR/PRI Guidance Document on the Nelson Mandela Rules and the Omega Research Foundation’s Practical Guide on Monitoring Weapons and Restraints in Places of Detention.