OSCE-supported regional workshop in Skopje for judges, prosecutors and investigators focuses on countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes

Countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes was the focus of a two-day regional workshop organized in Skopje on 16-17 November 2016 by the OSCE in co-operation with the National Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors.

The workshop brought together judges, prosecutors and investigators from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Participants exchanged experiences with each other and with international experts from Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the European Union, Estonia, Israel, the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel, Portugal, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Representatives from private companies such as INSig2 and Western Union informed participants on their approaches to countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes. 

Discussions concentrated on areas such as relevant legal frameworks on countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, the protection and recovery of forensic data in investigations, investigations of terrorism financing online and judicial co-operation. Participants also explored good practices in investigating different components and stages of the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes.

“Judges, prosecutors and investigators play a crucial role in addressing incitement to hate and violence, including incitement to terrorism, through the internet," said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Ambassador Nina Suomalainen. The nature of these contemporary challenges is constantly changing due to advancements in technology. Violent extremism can only be defeated through a sustained and comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders.”

The objective of this workshop was to strengthen national capabilities and sustain inter-regional counter-terrorism responses by assisting practitioners in effectively investigating and prosecuting the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes.