OSCE and IOM co-organize training course for Belarusian Border Service on detecting forged travel documents

MINSK, 6 July 2009 - Twenty Belarusian border control officers started an intensive two-week training course today to improve their ability to detect forged documents. 

The 10-day course is organized by the OSCE Secretariat's Action against Terrorism Unit and the OS/Borders Team of the Conflict Prevention Centre jointly with the International Organization for Migration's Minsk mission. The course forms part of an IOM project that aims to strengthen Belarus's migration management.

"Fake IDs are a problem not only for Belarus but also present a global challenge, especially in light of international terrorism and all forms of trafficking. Many crimes can be avoided or solved by detecting forged documents," said Johann Wagner, the OSCE Border Issues Adviser.

The course will focus on topics such as printing techniques and safeguards, document personalization and forgery methods. IOM Minsk will deliver a session on human trafficking, and INTERPOL will provide a presentation on its Stolen and Lost Travel Document Database.

Course participants will receive individual document examination kits containing technical equipment that will help them to identify forged documents during the training course as well as in their daily work.

The training course on "Increasing Operational Awareness to Detect Forged Documents" will take place from 6 to 17 July at the Belarusian Ministry of Interior's International Training Centre in Minsk.

For more information, contact Christopher Hornek, Assistant Programme Officer, OSCE ATU, Tel. +43 664 859 0843.