Rule of law-compliant criminal justice responses to terrorism discussed at Sixth Annual Anti-Terrorism Expert Meeting in Issyk-Kul
The Sixth Annual Anti-Terrorism Expert Meeting organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek in close co-operation with the Secretariat’s Action against Terrorism Unit and with the direct support of the Kyrgyz State Committee on National Security’s Anti-Terrorist Centre took place from 3 to 4 September 2018 in Issyk-Kul.
This year’s meeting focussed on criminal justice responses to terrorism and internationally recognized good practices that align effective prevention and responses to terrorism with rule of law considerations.
The Meeting gathered 25 representatives of national agencies working in the counter-terrorism field. Representatives of relevant ministries, law enforcement agencies, prosecutor’s offices, judges and penitentiary facilities discussed handling cases related to terrorism in an efficient, timely and law abiding manner. They also discussed how to enhance co-ordination mechanisms between national government agencies, and stressed the importance of international co-operation, particularly when confronted with terrorism.
Good practices listed in the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) Rabat Memorandum on Effective Counterterrorism Practice in the Criminal Justice Sector were discussed by experts from Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the United States and the Anti-Terrorism Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The GCTF Rabat Memorandum offers insights into effective terrorism prevention and prosecution methods, while emphasizing the need to respect human rights and other applicable international law.
The Annual Anti-Terrorism Expert Meeting organized by the Programme Office in Bishkek has become a platform for information exchange and discussion regarding all aspects of preventing and countering terrorism, including the prevention of terrorist financing. The Annual Meeting contributes to the development and refinement of counterterrorism practices in Kyrgyzstan and beyond, in line with related UN strategies and binding requirements listed in UN Security Council resolutions.