Central Europe

583594

On 17 and 18 December, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) conducted an introductory workshop in Bishkek on the prevention and investigation of the criminal use of virtual assets and blockchain-based finance. The workshop was opened by Ambassador Bakyt Dzhusupov, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, and gathered representatives from relevant investigative authorities, including from the Prosecutor’s General Office, the State Financial Intelligence Service, the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Committee for National Security.

Through interactive and practical sessions, the workshop aimed to enhance the understanding and skillset of practitioners on addressing financial crimes through blockchain technology.

“Modern digital technologies are developing rapidly, and so are the methods and tactics used by criminals to exploit these innovations,” said Ambassador Dzhusupov in his opening remarks. “In order to effectively address these challenges, governments and international actors must work to develop robust and multifaceted measures,” he added.

During his visit, Ambassador Dzhusupov discussed the work of OCEEA on combatting corruption and money laundering with senior-level officials from the Financial Market Regulation and Supervision Service under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the National Bank, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Committee for National Security, and the State Financial Intelligence Service. He also met with officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Special Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic on mountain regions development and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to discuss more broadly OCEEA’s work and opportunities for collaboration in Kyrgyzstan.

The workshop was organized as part of the extra-budgetary project “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money-Laundering Risks of Virtual Assets”, implemented by OCEEA and financially supported by Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States.

583543 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

On 17 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in co-operation with the Centre for Combatting Trafficking in Persons under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hosted the second Dialogue Platform on Counteracting Trafficking in Human Beings (CTHB) for the year. The event brought together government officials, members of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on CTHB, representatives from civil society, and international organizations.

The discussions focused on significant achievements in the implementation of Tajikistan’s National Action Plan on CTHB (2022-2024), as well as recent findings from monitoring efforts supported by the OSCE. These findings highlighted both progress made and areas needing streamlining the anti-trafficking measures at the local level. Looking ahead, participants reviewed the draft National Action Plan on CTHB for 2025-2027, reaffirming Tajikistan’s commitment to preventing and combating human trafficking in all its forms.

This initiative is in line with Tajikistan’s commitments to the OSCE regarding the prevention and combatting of all forms of human trafficking.

583534 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

Between October and December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe supported the OSCE Youth Network for Gender Equality in organizing ten awareness-raising sessions across Dushanbe and rural areas of Tajikistan. Over 25 Network members travelled to Norak, Panjakent, Khujand, Ayni, Isfara, Garm, Kulob, Bokhtar, and Levakand, engaging 283 participants—91 men and 192 women—including youth, educators from schools and universities, and community leaders.

The sessions focused on key topics such as gender equality, gender-based violence, economic empowerment of women in rural areas, combating gender stereotypes, and promoting women's participation in public life.

As part of the Action Plan adopted on the International Day of the Girl Child 2024, a featured speaker shared her experience with rural women in Ayni and Isfara on launching their own businesses. Inspired by networking opportunities during the International Day of the Girl Child, youth from Levakand organized their first awareness-raising session, where they discussed how to tackle harmful social norms in the society and empower young women in their community.

By fostering dialogue and practical engagement, the OSCE Youth Network for Gender Equality continues to inspire and support individuals and communities in advancing gender equality throughout Tajikistan.

583522

On 2 December, the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration hosted its first-ever simulation of conciliation proceedings within the Court at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ljubljana and with the support of Professor Vasilka Sancin, Head of the Department of International Law and member of the Bureau of the Court.

A group of Professor Sancin's domestic and exchange students that are enrolled in the course on diplomatic and consular law addressed a fictional case submitted for conciliation under the provisions of the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE. The contrived dispute pertained to two fictitious states: the Republic of Andromeda and the Kingdom of Rhea and raised a wide range of issues, including subjects relating to human rights, minorities, territorial integrity and the responsibilities of states with regard to environmental protection, including plastics pollution and activities in outer space.

Prior to the role-play session, students acting as agents as well as conciliators were required to submit their written submissions in which they set out their arguments, including proposals based on international law and OSCE commitments for the resolution of the submitted dispute. During the session, President of the OSCE Court Professor Emmanuel Decaux participated actively as a member of the jury.

The OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration provides a set of mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States. The Court was established by the Convention of Stockholm, which entered into force on 5 December 1994. To date, 34 States have become parties to the Convention.

583483

From 11 to 13 December 2024, the OSCE PCUz organized a visit to Helsinki, Finland, to study good practices in fighting violence against minors.

The delegation, comprising the Interdepartmental Working Group charged with improving relevant legislation on crimes against minors, was headed by Surayyo Rakhmonova, the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Children's Rights (Children's Ombudsman) and included five representatives of law enforcement agencies of Uzbekistan.

The aim of the visit was to gain insights into good practices in the comprehensive framework for the protection of children against sexual abuse and exploitation, child-friendly justice, use of technology to help identify victims and the Barnahus model, an approach to preventing the re-traumatization of children who have been sexually abused.

The delegation met with a number of state and civil society institutions, including the National Bureau of Investigation, the Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Central Union for Child Welfare, the NGO Children of Station and Save the Children Finland.

With the aim to enhance school safety and security through preventive actions, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a series of soft skills training events for school security officers in Korça, Tirana and Shkodra, from 7 to 9 December 2024.

The training comes at a crucial time, addressing Albania’s growing need for proactive interventions to ensure that schools are not just places of learning, but also environments of safety and support. The training equipped school security officers with skills like conflict de-escalation, effective communication and emotional resilience.

Through interactive role-plays, group discussions and hands-on exercises, participants gained practical tools to handle daily challenges with confidence and care.

These trainings concluded the efforts of the Presence during 2024 to strengthen community safety and security, through a multi-stakeholder approach, focused on prevention. They complemented other interventions including legal education for pupils of primary schools throughout the country; information sessions on youth crime prevention for front-line actors working with children and minors; information sessions on preventing and countering violent extremism leading to terrorism for police officers working in hotspot areas; tailored trainings on youth crime prevention for police and child protection officers, and empowerment of Local Safety Councils.   

The Presence’s work to enhance community safety and security will continue in 2025 with initiatives that will be implemented in partnership with state authorities at local and central levels.

583528

On 16 December 2024, the OSCE Presence in Albania facilitated a peer exchange meeting at the Italian Embassy in Tirana, focusing on financial investigations related to money laundering through cryptocurrencies. This event was designed to foster the exchange of experiences and best practices between Italian and Albanian law enforcement agencies.

The meeting convened prosecutors and investigators from the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), along with officials from the Albanian State Police and the Albanian Financial Intelligence Agency. They engaged in comprehensive discussions to share knowledge and enhance their investigative strategies.

A panel of Italian experts, including members from the Guardia di Finanza’s Special Nucleus on Privacy and Technological Fraud, led by their Commander, as well as representatives from the Italian State Police’s Postal Police Service and the Carabinieri’s Anti-Monetary Counterfeiting Unit, offered their insights. They discussed methods and techniques to investigate complex financial crimes linked to digital currencies, providing Albanian law enforcement with critical operational knowledge.

This event’s organization was supported by the Italian Police Liaison Office and the Office of the Regional Manager of the Guardia di Finanza for South Western Balkans at the Italian Embassy in Tirana. This initiative underscores the importance of continuous professional development and international co-operation in boosting up the capabilities of law enforcement to address the challenges posed by modern financial crimes, such as cryptocurrency-related money laundering.

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Mongolia’s 2024 parliamentary elections were well run, although their competitiveness was undermined by an uneven playing field caused by campaign restrictions and biased media coverage favouring the ruling party. The short campaign period, combined with government-promoted salary and benefit increases, provided the ruling party with an undue advantage, blurring the line between party and state. Allegations of pressure on civil servants further raised concerns about the freedom of voters to make their own choices. Despite these challenges, the election administration operated professionally and implemented a comprehensive voter information programme.

These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on the June 2024 elections published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The report offers 24 recommendations to bring elections further in line with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections.

Key recommendations include:

• Developing clear procedures for manual vote counting and addressing any discrepancies between electronic and manual counts
• Removing voting restrictions based on intellectual disability and revising the blanket deprivation of voting rights for prisoners
• Prohibiting misuse of public resources and pressure on public employees, and providing for a clear separation between official duties and campaigning
• Strengthening campaign finance regulations and setting up mechanisms to address violations
• Annulling criminal provisions on false information and disproportionate sanctions for libel in order to safeguard freedom of expression
• Amending laws to align deadlines for resolving electoral disputes with the election calendar
• Resolving disputes over election results promptly before results are submitted to the parliament or elected members are sworn in

ODIHR deployed an Election Observation Mission on 21 May 2024, which remained in the country until 9 July.

All 57 participating States across the OSCE region have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations. A list of previous ODIHR recommendations and the extent to which they have been implemented so far can be found on p.27 of today’s report. The ODIHR Electoral Recommendations Database tracks the implementation of recommendations across the entire OSCE region.

583384 Expert panel at a training course for police cadets on gender-based violence (GBV), Banja Luka, 9 December 2024. Communication and Media Relations Section

From 9 to 12 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Police Academy in Banja Luka conducted four one-day basic training courses for police cadets on gender-based violence (GBV) in Banja Luka. The training sessions were delivered by national police officers, a prosecutor, a judge, a psychologist and other local experts.

The sessions equipped 196 cadets, including 151 men and 45 women, with foundational skills on gender-sensitive policing to address violence against women and girls with a victim-centred, multi-sectoral approach. The training courses, delivered by national police officers, a prosecutor, a judge, a psychologist and other local experts, focused on understanding the trauma endured by victims, often for extended periods.

“It is of the utmost importance to provide training on gender-based violence for police cadets, who will inevitably encounter issues of domestic violence and other criminal acts in this area on a daily basis in their future roles. It is particularly beneficial for them to have the chance to attend lectures and engage with prosecutors, judges, and other professionals who are involved in dealing with these cases in the course of their daily work activities,” emphasized Aleksandar Miladinović, Deputy Head of the Police Education Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska.

“Gender-based violence and domestic violence are serious crimes that police officers must handle in a way that protects and supports the victims. When the police succeed in doing that, it builds vital trust between them and the public,” said Bjorn Tore Saltvik, OSCE Project Manager.

As part of the training, the Centre for Youth Education (CEM) from Bosnia and Herzegovina performed the play “Lullaby Goodbye”, a dramatization based on the true story of a teenage girl who fell victim to online exploitation, which had life-changing consequences for her.

The cadets also watched “Domestic Violence”, a documentary produced by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) that features real-life cases of gender-based violence in the United States, providing valuable insights into the complexities of addressing such incidents.

The training initiative aligns with broader regional efforts, as similar training courses have been organized in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia, and will be offered in Albania and Serbia. In 2024, a total of 1,113 police cadets have been trained through this project.

This effort is part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project, “Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe,” funded by Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy and Norway.

583369 Participants in a training course for the OSCE Pool of Young Experts on professional competences in the field of peace and security, Vienna, 11 December 2024. Communication and Media Relations Section

From 11 to 13 December, the OSCE brought together 27 members of the OSCE Pool of Young Experts (18 women and 9 men) in Vienna for an in-person training course focusing on professional competences in the field of peace and security.

The OSCE Pool of Young Experts is a database of 82 young professionals that are all alumni of OSCE activities between the ages of 18 and 30 from across the OSCE region who are motivated to contribute to the work of the OSCE and to peace and security discussions.

The civil servants, students and civil society representatives from across the OSCE region that participated in the training course discussed the Organization’s comprehensive security approach, women in diplomacy in the multilateral context, and the youth and security agenda. In addition, the training included skill-building exercises on public speaking, mediation and negotiations as well as an exchange with OSCE staff.

“Malta strongly believes in the importance of youth involvement in political decision-making as a positive force for social cohesion and sustainable security. We have made this belief central to our Chairpersonship agenda by mainstreaming youth voices across all our strands of work, ranging from sessions on threats affecting cyberspace to our discussions on antisemitism,” said Giulia Saydon, Policy Co-ordinator at the Permanent Mission of Malta to OSCE, the UN and other international organizations, in her opening remarks. “We are, therefore, convinced that the OSCE Pool of Young Experts provides an opportunity for growth, learning and impact. Together, you can shape a forward-looking vision of peace and security that is future-proof and enriched by youth perspectives.”

Participants emphasized the value of practical exercises on negotiation, conflict resolution and mediation, underlining the importance of their dialogue with OSCE staff members on the organizational structure and decision-making processes, among other topics.

“We have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of engaging youth in shaping policy. Some of the most innovative ideas in our workshops and work come from young people,” stressed Andrea Salvoni, Senior Advisor in the Office of the OSCE Secretary-General. “Don’t hesitate to share your ideas and collaborate on solutions — you have the potential to make a meaningful impact”.

Anastasia Lortkipanidze, a member of the OSCE Pool of Young Experts, noted that "the Pool of Young Experts initiative is an outstanding platform that not only allows participants to voice their concerns on pressing issues but also promotes valuable connections with peers and professionals. It serves as a unique space to exchange ideas, collaborate, and build networks, all while equipping young experts with the knowledge and skills needed to prepare for their future career opportunities."

Another Pool member, Davor Džakula, said that “participating in the OSCE Pool of Young Experts has been an extraordinary journey, filled with meaningful discussions and impactful sessions alongside colleagues from across Europe, Central Asia and beyond. The diversity of experiences and insights shared within this program has left an indelible mark on me.”

The OSCE extra-budgetary project “Accelerating the implementation of the Youth and Security Agenda in the OSCE region” continues to drive efforts to empower young leaders in the OSCE region, fostering their potential to shape the future of security and co-operation.

583360 Participants in the in the Second National Conference on Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking of Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives, Ukraine, 11 December 2024. Communication and Media Relations Section

On 11 December, over 100 representatives of Ukrainian authorities, international organizations, diplomatic missions and civil society participated in the Second National Conference on Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking of Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives (WAE) in Kyiv.

The event, held by the OSCE and the European Union Advisory Mission to Ukraine—is part of efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s national WAE control system through comprehensive dialogue, co-ordination and co-operation among all relevant stakeholders in this field.

"Improving national legislation and institutional capacities in the context of increasing security challenges continues to be a priority for Ukraine. The implementation of effective WAE control mechanisms will contribute to protection of citizens and the state as a whole," emphasized Oleksii Serheiev, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

Shawn DeCaluwe, Deputy Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, confirmed the Organization's commitment to continue supporting Ukraine on this track. "Our purpose is to provide a platform for exchange of experience, international co-operation and development of common strategies which will help in overcoming threats related to illicit trafficking of WAE in Ukraine," he stressed.

The Conference focused on recent changes in legislation, Ukraine meeting its international obligations and the identification of solutions to the country’s key challenges. Special emphasis was placed on strengthening the capacities of authorities to provide a transparent and effective data exchange.

The event was carried out as part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project "In support of strengthening the capacities of Ukrainian authorities in preventing and combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives in all its aspects", financed by the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia and Poland. It is also supported by Lithuania and Spain. The project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Police, the State Border Guards Service and the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

WARSAW, 13 December 2024 – The human rights situation in Ukraine has continued to worsen amid increased aerial attacks that include systematic strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure, as well as intensified hostilities on the front line, leading to a surge in civilian casualties. Meanwhile, arbitrary detention, torture and coercion continued in areas of the country under Russian occupation, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in its latest report on violations of international law in Ukraine.

ODIHR has been monitoring human rights in the context of the war in Ukraine since February 2022, and today’s report on violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law builds on the Office’s previous findings. The report is based on interviews with 94 survivors and witnesses interviewed by ODIHR in the second half of 2024, in addition to remote monitoring and information supplied by the Russian Federation and Ukraine as well as civil society organizations. Overall, ODIHR has carried out almost 500 interviews since its monitoring began in 2022.

The long-term detention of large numbers of Ukrainian civilians by the Russian authorities is of grave concern, with several thousand people missing and believed to be arbitrarily detained both in occupied areas of Ukraine and in the Russian Federation. Widespread reports of torture and inhuman conditions in detention facilities operated by the Russian authorities in occupied territories of Ukraine and in the Russian Federation have fuelled additional fears for the safety of detainees.

All the Ukrainian former prisoners of war interviewed by ODIHR reported severe and routine torture during their internment, supporting ODIHR’s analysis that the torture of both prisoners of war and civilians by the Russian Federation is both widespread and systematic. The proliferation of material disseminated online depicting the torture or execution of Ukrainian POWs suggests this practice may have increased further. ODIHR also found further evidence of ongoing conflict-related sexual violence carried out by the Russian authorities.

ODIHR emphasises that these acts are grave violations of the laws of war and international human rights law, and may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. All parties to an armed conflict must act in line with international humanitarian and human rights law, which explicitly ban indiscriminate attacks against civilians and protect the civilian population against violence and inhumane treatment. The violations that have characterised the war in Ukraine are irreconcilable with the OSCE’s founding principle of respect for human rights as a precondition for the security of the entire region.  

VIENNA, 13 December 2024 — Today, the OSCE Troika - Malta, North Macedonia and Finland - made the following statement:

"We, the members of the OSCE Troika, strongly condemn the Georgian authorities’ violent response to peaceful protests by Georgian civil society, independent media, and politicians, who are standing up for the country’s democratic future. We urge the Georgian authorities to immediately cease the use of repressive tactics and intimidation, including arbitrary detention and physical violence.

We call on the Georgian authorities to guarantee the rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression for the people in Georgia, in line with Georgia’s international obligations. Laws adopted in contradiction with these commitments must be repealed.

All allegations of violence, election fraud, and attacks against democratic values and principles must be credibly investigated, and all those responsible for these crimes must be held to account.

We urge the Georgian authorities to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in line with our shared OSCE principles and commitments as enshrined already in the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris.

We encourage the Georgian authorities to make use of the various tools and expertise the OSCE and its institutions can offer. The Troika stands ready to facilitate any exchange to this end.

We stand with the Georgian people as they express their aspiration for a democratic and European future, as codified in the Georgian constitution."

583309

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsperson), organised a round table titled “The Authority of the Ombudsperson of the Oliy Majlis in the protection of human rights and freedoms” on 10 December 2024 in Urgench, Khorezm region.

This event was dedicated to the 32nd anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan and International Human Rights Day, the aim being to highlight new legal mechanisms for protecting human rights. Forty participants, including representatives of Oliy Majlis, local government and law enforcement officials, as well as civil society institutions, engaged in discussions on the amended Constitution, which guarantees the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of every person.

The round table provided an opportunity to exchange views on potential areas for enhancing co-operation between government agencies and civil society institutions, as well as fostering public accountability. A related event is scheduled to take place in Tashkent on 17 December.

583342 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

On 11 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD), in collaboration with the Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources Management, organized the 12th meeting of the National Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (NCID). The event gathered 80 participants, including 57 men and 23 women, comprising national and international stakeholders, NCID members, representatives from academic institutions, and water professionals.

During the meeting, participants discussed the key priorities and components of the Land Reclamation and Irrigation Sector Development Program for 2024-2028, which was developed with expert support from the POiD in 2023. The gathering also provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange information on the progress of ongoing investment projects that focus on innovative technologies and plans for 2025.

This initiative is part of the POiD’s ongoing efforts to advance the development and modernization of the irrigation and drainage sector, with a particular emphasis on climate change adaptation. It aligns with the broader commitments of the OSCE in the water sector.

583297 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

On 4 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD) collaborated with the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan to organize the International Scientific and Practical Conference titled "The Prevention of Corruption as a Mechanism for Protecting Human Rights and Ensuring the Efficiency of Governance: Current Status and Prospects." The conference brought together 69 representatives from government institutions, academia, and international experts to discuss the impact of corruption on human rights, efforts to combat corruption in public administration, migration issues, and the protection of human rights.

In addition to providing technical and administrative support, the POiD invited three international speakers to participate in a session focused on anti-corruption and good governance. These speakers presented their work on various topics, including anti-corruption in the health sector, using budget transparency as a means to enhance governance and reduce corruption, and advanced training as a tool for developing anti-corruption skills among public sector officials. Furthermore, a representative from the Secretariat of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Anti-Corruption Network shared key findings from the newly adopted Baseline Report of the Fifth Round of Monitoring of Anti-Corruption Reforms in Tajikistan.

This event is part of the POiD’s ongoing efforts to support Tajikistan in promoting good governance and implementing the State Anti-Corruption Strategy in line with international standards.

583195 Participants in an expert-level meeting on requesting electronic evidence across borders, Tashkent, 4 December 2024 Communication and Media Relations Section

On 4 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, hosted the second expert-level meeting on requesting electronic evidence across borders in Tashkent.

The event centered on the presentation of the key findings from the OSCE needs assessment mission (NAM) conducted in July 2024 as part of Project E-VIDENCE and was attended by over 30 representatives from parliament, law enforcement agencies, judiciary, academia and international organizations.

“Terrorist groups operate in an increasingly regional and global manner, including through the use of propaganda for the purpose of online recruitment, or by taking advantage of disinformation campaigns that capitalize on anti-government sentiments, undermine counter-terrorism efforts and threaten stability. These developments underscore the need for sustained international effort, legislation and cooperation. We will not be able to stay ahead of terrorist organizations, if we fail to strengthen regional cooperation,” said Sonja Kuip, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Central Asia based in Astana, Kazakhstan—which also oversees Uzbekistan— during her opening remarks.

The participants engaged in comprehensive discussions led by local and international experts, analyzing the needs assessment, addressing legal challenges and introducing international good practices tailored to Uzbekistan’s national context.

“The needs assessment has provided valuable insights into areas where Uzbekistan’s legal and procedural frameworks can be further strengthened,” said Gayrat Musaev, Head of the Scientific and Research Institute of Digital Forensics of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. “By integrating international best practices and adapting them to our national context, we can create a system for cross-border electronic evidence requests that respects privacy and ensures fairness and accountability in legal processes.”

The participants agreed to establish a formal working group led by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan to develop concrete mechanisms for enhancing Uzbekistan's legislative and institutional frameworks to implement the NAM recommendations. This initiative aims to align national practices with global standards for requesting electronic evidence across borders, ensuring the protection of privacy and adherence to the rule of law.

“We are confident that the outcomes of this experts' meeting will support the ongoing national efforts aimed at harmonizing the regulatory frameworks on electronic evidence in line with international human rights standards,” said Clemens Schwanhold, Head of the Political Section at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Uzbekistan.

Project E-VIDENCE is an extrabudgetary initiative supported by Germany and the Netherlands that aims to enhance national capacities across the OSCE area to request electronic evidence for investigating online criminal matters, including terrorism-related cases, while adhering to human rights.

Migration is becoming an increasingly important area of diplomatic relations. Recently, the adoption of bilateral and multilateral agreements of migration governance has intensified globally, and references to migration diplomacy have recurred systematically in political and public debates.

In this context, the Economic Governance Unit (EGU) of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) hosted the thematic workshop “The significance of migration diplomacy in the context of the OSCE” at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna on 13 December.

In the first part of the workshop, Ambassador Neil Holland shared information on how migration management will feature in the Security Committee’s under the UK Chairpersonship next year. This was followed by a thematic discussion, guided by a conversation between Guido Tintori, EGU-OCEEA Economic Affairs Officer, and Professor Gerasimos Tsourapas (University of Glasgow, London School of Economics and Political Science, and The American University in Cairo), one of the leading scholars that advanced the concept of migration diplomacy. The exchange provided insights and real-world case studies on the use of diplomatic tools, processes, and procedures to manage cross-border population mobility.

This session set the stage for the second part of the workshop where, under Chatham House Rule, participants discussed the conditions under which migration diplomacy might be applied within the OSCE and in the context of the OSCE’s work.

The workshop provided a platform for OSCE diplomats, practitioners, and those working on migration across the Organization’s three dimensions of security to engage in strategic discussions, consider current and emerging policy trends, and identify challenges and solutions in the field of international migration governance.

OCEEA will continue to facilitate dialogue and co-operation on effective international migration governance as an integral part of good economic governance, while promoting a cross-dimensional, integrated and comprehensive approach to migration management across the OSCE.

583135 OSCE regional workshop on competency frameworks and training strategies on cybercrime and electronic evidence at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 6 December. Communication and Media Relations Section

On 5 and 6 December in Tashkent, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) held a Central Asia regional workshop on developing strategic and structured approaches to the training and education of police officers and prosecutors working on cybercrime and electronic evidence.

The 25 senior law enforcement representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participating in the event discussed the development of competency frameworks and training strategies on cybercrime and electronic evidence, which took place at the premises of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

A competency framework defines skill sets and levels for relevant law enforcement roles involved in the investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes and other crimes involving electronic evidence. Building on this, a training strategy outlines a plan for the provision of professional training and education to develop the necessary competencies amongst law enforcement practitioners. Following this regional event, TNTD will organize a series of national workshops in the course of 2025 to support the countries in the region to develop their own tailored national competency frameworks and training strategies.

“Our goal is to enable law enforcement educational institutions across Central Asia to design and deliver professional training on cybercrime and electronic evidence in a structured and sustainable way,” underlined Antti Karttunen, the Head of OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, during the opening session.

“We are proud to have supported the first phase of this regional project from 2020 to 2024 and to provide funding for its continuation as well. The second phase significantly expands the support to the region, addressing critical gaps and reflecting lessons learned and realities on the ground,” said Rebecca Dovergne, First Secretary at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Tashkent, during her opening remarks.

The workshop represents the first event under the second phase of the OSCE’s regional capacity-building project on combating cybercrime in Central Asia launched in September 2024 and funded by Germany and the United States of America.

583126

Since 2019, the OSCE Presence in Albania and Tirana University’s Law Faculty have worked intensively on the establishment of an Executive Master’s Programme in Criminology with the aim to enhance the research capacities of criminal justice professionals, academics and policy makers in preventing and combating crime in Albania in line with human rights standards and OSCE commitments. Launched in December 2020, the Master’s Programme aims to enhance the research capacities of professionals, academics, and policymakers to better understand and combat crime in line with human rights standards.

On 12 December 2024, the Presence and Tirana University hosted a closing ceremony, bringing together around 160 academic staff, students and donors to reflect on the project’s achievements and its ongoing impact.

The Master’s Programme in Criminology is the first Executive Master Programme in Albania included in the third cycle of studies. It offers an integrated curriculum designed for various career paths in the justice system. The programme covers key criminology topics, including crime prevention, offender rehabilitation and the root causes of crime. So far, 190 students have enrolled in the Master’s Programme – 52 of them have already graduated. Participants come from diverse backgrounds, mostly from law enforcement agencies. They include judges, prosecutors, judicial police officers, police officers, defence lawyers, Security Academy lecturers, staff of parliament’s policy office, civil society activists and criminal justice experts.

A major achievement of the project is the establishment of a Research Centre in Criminology, which will strengthen academic and research connections, and contribute in guiding criminal justice policy in Albania. The project contributed in setting up the infrastructure and provided the Research Centre with office and IT equipment. To fully support the capacities of the Research Centre, the project facilitated 30 research papers in the field of criminology to be used by academic staff and Master’s students.

During more than five years of intensive work, the OSCE’s involvement entailed the development of the structure and curricula for the Master’s Programme, training academic staff, building links with partner institutions, as well as building capacities and resources of the University of Tirana to deliver and manage such a complex, and ultimately successful programme. 

Key milestones of the project include:

•           Establishing a comprehensive criminology curriculum with 20 modules and 120 ECTS credits.

•           Training academic staff and facilitating exchange opportunities with prestigious international universities.

•           Providing essential research resources, including online access to international libraries.

•           Organizing academic conferences and establishing a fellowship programme to support research in the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior.

•           Supporting Master’s students with research, publications, summer schools and exchange programmes and visiting lecturers.

Criminology careers are instrumental in establishing a more equitable, science-based understanding of crime, public policy and social justice. Through theoretical knowledge and practical experience, criminologists support and strengthen the work of law enforcement, and the court and penal systems. Therefore, this project contributed also to strengthen co-operation between the academia and law practitioners. 

The project “Establishing a Master’s Programme in Criminology” was implemented by the OSCE Presence in close co-operation with the Law Faculty and with the support of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior. It was financially supported by the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. Mission to the OSCE, British Embassy in Tirana and the government of Italy.