OSCE partners with UNODC, EU, Interpol in developing training module on handling electronic evidence to support counter-terrorism efforts

How to handle electronic evidence, and in particular, request electronic evidence across borders, to support counter-terrorism efforts was the focus of an online workshop held on 21 April 2020 that brought together national experts from 13 countries and several international organizations.

Organized by the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Union, Interpol, and the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the workshop developed strategies and content for a new “Train-the-Trainers” course, which will be designed for relevant law enforcement and judicial training institutions.

The training module will be based on the Practical Guide for Requesting Electronic Evidence Across Borders produced by UNODC together with other partners, and translated into Russian and printed by the OSCE in 2019. The Guide provides practitioners with the necessary methods and skills to access the critical electronic evidence needed to prevent, investigate and bring to justice those who seek to undermine the rule of law.

Opening the workshop, Masood Karimipour, Chief of the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch, said: “Our interactive e-learning courses, global network of experts and virtual convening authority have continuously supported face-to-face activities. Now, in this unprecedented environment, online-conferencing and peer-to-peer platforms such as the UNODC’s Counter-Terrorism Learning Platform will take the lead, but the experience and subject matter expertise of UNODC remains the same.”

Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator to address Transnational Threats, added: “The very fact that we convene this event is clear evidence that the co-operation between international organizations in countering terrorism remains stable and effective even in the face of the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. Building on our successful co-operation, we are keen to continue closely working together with UNODC and other international partners to support law enforcement authorities, prosecutors, and judiciaries in developing long-term, sustainable, and human-rights compliant approaches in handling electronic evidence.”

Hilde Hardeman, Head of the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, said: “People across the globe are joining forces to save lives and livelihoods. We cannot allow this situation to be exploited to stoke hatred and fear. The EU stands for solidarity in adversity. Through this project with UNODC and its partners, we make new tools available to exchange best practices in the fight against terrorism.”

Experts from law enforcement/criminal justice training academies and institutions from Bangladesh, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Mozambique, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan took part in the workshop. They were joined by high-level representatives from the UNODC, the UN Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (UNCTED), the OSCE Secretariat, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Interpol, the EU, the European Commission and the Commonwealth.

The “Train-the-Trainers” is being developed after the Practical Guide received positive feedback from law enforcement authorities, prosecutors, and judiciary experts from the OSCE participating States.