Medico-legal Training for Legal and Medical Professionals

One day Medico-Legal Training for Legal and Medical Professionals was conducted on 10 March 2017 in Kathmandu with the participation of 24 individuals. Lawyers from Kathmandu District Court Bar Association, High Court Bar Association, Patan and Bhaktapur District Court Bar Association, Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH); medical doctors from Bir Hospital and Patan hospital participated in the training.

Dr. Harihar Wasti, Medico-legal Expert, Department of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Medicine; Dr. Bidur Osti, Professor and Advocate Mr. Rabindra Bhattarai were the facilitators of the one day training. Dr. Wasti started the session with brief explanation about torture, Torture Compensation Act 1996, elements of torture, aims, types, methods and consequences of torture. Likewise, Dr. Wasti briefed about torture victim examination and importance of Istanbul Protocol during torture victim examination sharing his experiences and real incidents. He stressed on the importance of medico legal in the cases of human rights violations especially torture cases. Another session deliberated by Dr. Bidur Osti was on Consequences of Torture. This session highlighted on the consequences of torture especially psychological consequences. He explained that psychological consequences of torture are much more distressing and disabling than physical torture and physical torture can have psychological consequences. Session on Torture and Victim's Right to Reparation deliberated by Adv. Mr. Bhattarai highlighted on the rights of the victims especially the victim's right to rescue, treatment, relief, access to justice, access to information, justice dispensation and reparation.