OSCE

529725

From 24 to 27 October, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department organized a course on requesting electronic evidence across borders in Tashkent, in close co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and the Academy of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Developed jointly by the UNODC, Interpol, and the OSCE, with the financial support from the European Union, the course is based on the United Nations Practical Guide on Requesting Electronic Evidence across Borders.

Participants represented Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Prosecutor’s Office, including their respective Academies, as well as the National Cybersecurity Centre, State Security Service, and Supreme Court. The modules of the course covered available instruments for requesting electronic evidence from service providers based in foreign jurisdictions, including requests for preservation, voluntary disclosure, emergency disclosure, and mutual legal assistance, as well as channels for police-to-police co-operation. The course also discussed the importance of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in all these procedures.

The three-day course was followed by a one-day roundtable in which participants and experts discussed possible changes to the operational procedures of Uzbekistan’s criminal justice institutions to improve their capacities in obtaining electronic evidence from abroad.

“More and more criminal activities today are either fully committed through or facilitated by digital technologies. Electronic evidence is therefore becoming an indispensable part of all criminal investigations. As most Internet service providers are based in foreign jurisdictions, being able to obtain electronic evidence from abroad is essential for Uzbekistan’s capacities to effectively address crime and uphold the rule of law,” said Nosim Hodzhaev, Deputy Director of the International Legal Department at the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

This was echoed by Evgeniy Kolenko, Head of the Academy of the General Prosecutor’s Office,  who underlined the importance of the training. “Providing this sort of a training is key for our criminal justice actors to be able to fulfil their job at times of growing digitalization in Uzbekistan. Our Academy will aim to incorporate this type of education into its standard training curricula.”

A similar training was already delivered by the OSCE and UNODC in Kyrgyzstan last month and additional courses are planned in other OSCE participating States in Central Asia. This course was delivered within the extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”, which is funded by the United States of America, Germany, and the Republic of Korea.

529710 Marina Živaljević

On 26 October, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro further supported the digitization of the Parliament’s library services through provision of technical equipment that included magnetic and plastic card printer, thermal label printer and bar code scanner, as well as books on  cultural studies, discussions papers and essays, academic, historical, political theory, economics, and ecological titles.

This builds on previous support from the Mission, which enabled the Library to upload over 90 percent of its holdings into the Co-operative Online Bibliographic System and Services (COBISS), supporting the digitalization of library procedures.

Deputy Head of the Mission, Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, said that it was the right moment to improve the tools for processing library requests, maintaining inventory, and auditing the library fund. “This equipment enables an efficient management of the library fund. Through COBISS, the Parliament’s collection is connected to libraries of the Western Balkans and Slovenia further strengthening regional cooperation,” said Leirtroe.

Secretary General of Parliament, Aleksandar Klarić expressed satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation and support from with the OSCE Mission in providing and modernizing library services. “The OSCE Mission’s long-term support to Parliament is appreciated, especially in improving the institution’s transparency and openness. Support to the professional capacities of Parliament’s Service is also important, which contributes to more informed and better work of both MPs and the institution as a whole,” said Klarić.

As part of its support to the Library of Parliament, the Mission also assisted in drafting the library’s rulebook, which details the day-to-day work of the library, and outlines the rights and obligations of users. Currently, the Mission supports the process of digitization of approximately 50,000 Parliament’s verbatim records from 1991 to 2012, to be followed by a development of a software.

529692 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov visited Washington D.C. and New York from 17 to 21 October 2022.

During the first part of the trip, the High Commissioner met with officials at the US State Department to discuss the most pressing challenges to security and co-operation in the OSCE area. The conversation also focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Federation as well as the devastating impact of the war on the lives of ordinary people, including national minorities. Abdrakhmanov reaffirmed his availability to assist in any efforts to resolve the conflict based on the OSCE commitments, with full respect to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in its internationally recognized borders.

The High Commissioner had an opportunity to exchange views with representatives from the Department of Education on the positive efforts undertaken to ensure equal opportunities and outcomes for all students. They also discussed how the Department is addressing the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth in the United States, including racial and ethnic minorities, through the education system. He was informed of federal funding programmes aimed at achieving academic recovery and excellence, social and emotional wellbeing of students, and addressing teacher shortages based on the principles of achieving equity and closing opportunity gaps.

During his meetings with the Department of Justice, the conversation focused on the Community Relations Service’s important role as a dialogue facilitator in situations which might pose challenges to common security, safety and social cohesion.

In his conversation focusing on issues of concern to American Indians and Alaska Natives with the Department of State, the White House Council on Native American Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Interior, the High Commissioner was encouraged that the discussion focused on a number of topics that the Biden-Harris Administration have given renewed attention to including environmental justice and the impact of climate change on smaller communities.

This conversation further outlined the work related to the Boarding School Initiative and the establishment of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Unit within the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The emphasis in all of his conversations was on consultation mechanisms, aimed at ensuring that minority voices are heard and considered when developing policies and legislation.

The High Commissioner also had an opportunity to exchange notes with select research institutions and civil society on key developments and enduring challenges to the effective management of diverse societies. In his meeting with UnidosUS, the High Commissioner discussed efforts aimed at ensuring that all eligible Latinos, including Afro-Latinos, are registered, informed and engaged in the political process every year. The High Commissioner was also pleased to meet with Nestor Mendez, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States and Carla Koppell, Interim Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Managing Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security (GIWPS) to explore avenues of future co-operation based on areas of mutual interest.

The High Commissioner then continued his visit to New York where he co-hosted an event centred on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and considerations relevant to conflicts and conflict prevention. The event was a joint endeavour with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Minorities Issues Dr. Fernand de Varennes and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations in New York, representing the Chairmanship-in-Office of the OSCE for 2022 in the margins of the 77th session of the UNGA Third Committee and the presentation of the thematic report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities Issues.

During his visit to New York, the High Commissioner also held meetings with key UN officials to discuss issues relevant to his mandate. He met with UNGA President Csaba Kőrösi to exchange views on how to build confidence and strengthen dialogue between and within multilateral organizations. In his meeting with Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the High Commissioner discussed the current geopolitical landscape and its impact on national minorities, focusing on ways to prevent risks of spill-over and instrumentalization of national minority issues.

The High Commissioner also met with Sarah Hendriks, Director of Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division, Policy Division of UN Women, and highlighted the intersectionality of gender mainstreaming and gender equality to his mandate as well as to the mission of OSCE.

529680 Nino Sukhitashvili OSCE Mission to Moldova

Twenty-two young women and men from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River gained and developed negotiation skills, and solved a crisis during a simulation of OSCE Permanent Council as part of the 9th edition of the Model OSCE for Youth event organized this year in-person by the OSCE Mission to Moldova from 18 to 21 October 2022.

Addressing the participants during the opening of the Model OSCE for Youth event, Deputy Head of OSCE Mission to Moldova Antti Karttunen welcomed and congratulated them on being selected to participate and spoke how rewarding the work of a diplomat can be even though being very intense, dynamic and highly responsible. “If you choose this path, you will most likely never regret it. However, good negotiation skills are needed in every job, and in daily life”, he added.

“I felt amazing, gained lasting experience and met extraordinary people, mentors, and workers from some OSCE structures and from the OSCE Mission to Moldova,” said Alexandru Fazlî, one of the participants. “I understand very well how this organization works, and after this 4-day activity I definitely returned home not only with important experiences, but also with important knowledge. In the end, I would like to recommend to all students passionate about diplomacy to apply to participate in the future editions of this project, because not always, studying at the university or in other projects such subjects, you could really feel the role of a diplomat and in 4 days could get to know so many things.”

During these four days, participants had the unique opportunity to meet OSCE diplomats and officials working in the Republic of Moldova and Austria, who had addressed them during the event, and learnt from the highly experienced trainers Ida Manton and Max Pijevskii. They were trained on negotiation techniques, styles and strategies, learned about the history and work of the OSCE, its structures and consensus-based decision-making process, about diplomacy and the role of the OSCE in conflict prevention and resolution, as well engaged in teambuilding exercises that helped them build relations.

The event concluded with a conflict resolution simulation exercise that engaged the participants in solving a crisis based on consensus and allowed them to become diplomats for one day by taking part in a mock session of the OSCE Permanent Council during a crisis situation. They stepped into the shoes of diplomats and played the roles of different OSCE participating States, institutions and other relevant actors and worked together to come up with a joint solution to solve a hypothetical crisis in the OSCE area and avoid the conflict.

The aim of the Model OSCE is to build confidence and strengthen dialogue between young women and men from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. It was first organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova in 2013 and has been held annually since then, except in 2018. The OSCE works with and for youth to make their voices heard and to help them use their potential to promote security and co-operation‪ in the OSCE area.

529299 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro visited Mongolia between 10 and 13 October 2022, where she discussed a broad range of media-related issues with various stakeholders.

The Representative expressed her appreciation for the attention that the authorities pay to media freedom and their inclusive engagement with various stakeholders, when addressing media regulation. “This co-operation will be even more crucial when discussing the improvement of issues such as a clear distinction between defamation and disinformation, enhanced access to information and effective protection of journalists from the different threats they face. We need to have a combination of elements in place such as bigger investment in an efficient media self-regulatory system as well as well-trained journalists,” said Ribeiro, recalling that in times of deep transformation of media landscape, it is of importance to develop sound policies in order to have financially sustainable media business models.

In her meetings, the Representative discussed the legal framework for media, the safety of journalists, self-regulation of media as well as media sustainability and its importance for free and independent media.

During her visit, Ribeiro met with Mr. Uchral Nyam-Osor, Minister for Digital Development and Communications, Mr. Nyambaatar Khishgee, Minister for Justice and Internal Affairs, Ms. Nomin Chinbat, Minister for Culture,  Mr. Tsogtbaatar Damdin, Member of State Great Khural, Head of the Mongolian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Tsogtgerel Odon, Member of State Great Khural, Mr. Khunan Jargalsaikhan, Chief Commissioner, National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, Ms. Mandkhai, Mr. Ankhbayar Nyamdorj, State Secretary, and Acting Director-General for Department of Multilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition, she met with former President of Mongolia Mr. Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.

The Representative also met with journalists’ organizations, as well as media rights advocates. Among them Mr. U. Otgonbaatar, President of the Confederation of Mongolian Journalists, Ms. Narantuya Dangaasuren, consultant to the Media Council of Mongolia, and Mr. Sharavdorj Sampil, Deputy Head of Board of Directors, the Mongolian Media Council

“I am looking forward to continuing the very fruitful co-operation that my Office enjoys with the authorities and other stakeholders from Mongolia on various levels, including the Central Asia Media conferences and other regional projects, “said Ribeiro, expressing her readiness to assist the country on any media related issue, in line with her mandate.

VIENNA/AMMAN, 25 October 2022 – Advancing security and co-operation in the Mediterranean and OSCE regions is at the heart of the 2022 OSCE Mediterranean Conference that began today in Jordan.

The conference, organized by North Macedonia as the 2022 Chair of the Mediterranean Partners Group, and hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, builds on the OSCE’s continued efforts to develop both security and dialogue with its Mediterranean Partners.

“There cannot be a safe and secure Europe without a stable and prosperous Mediterranean region. Our nations deserve to live in peace and dignity in a world ruled by international law and shared commitments. The OSCE stands ready to pursue these goals together with our Mediterranean partners,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

“We cannot remain silent and indifferent to the current disturbing realities in the OSCE area. We have been faced with the constant degradation of European security architecture over at least a decade now. But today, a total disregard for international norms and commitments by the Russian Federation resulted in a full-scale war against Ukraine,” he underlined.

“This year’s Mediterranean Conference shall also be a turning point. While our efforts to stop the war against Ukraine fail short in the warring face of the Russian Federation, this is not time for defeatism, but active engagement. We should use this forum to reiterate the security interdependence between our neighboring regions, tackling together – constructively and in a spirit of true partnership – priorities that touch the lives of all of our citizens,” added Bujar Osmani, Minister of Foreign of North Macedonia.

“North Macedonia’s chairmanship priorities relate to the topics of discussion of the 2022 OSCE Mediterranean Conference. The empowerment of youth, women, managing the climate crisis and the fight against trafficking in human beings are issues important to all of us regardless which side of the Mediterranean we are on. We are sharing the weight of today’s uncertainty and thus we should share the burden of responsibility for active co-operation and engagement. The burden of responsibility lies with all Participating States and partners. It lies with all of us,” he added.

“We are working together in a spirit of partnership to ensure a better future for our region, which also requires that we work together to tackle crises that are continuing to impede the progress in this part of the world and have implications that not only affect us, but affect Europe as well, given that we are one neighborhood. This conference is a good opportuning for seeing how we can work together in facing those challenges, to put on the table many of the crises that continue to haunt this region, the center of which is the Palestinian Israeli conflict, which is key to peace and stability in the region, and beyond. Achieving comprehensive, just, and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution, is the only solution that we believe people will accept and embrace. Our efforts to find political solutions to tragic crises in Syria, Yemen, Libya, and the collective responsibility towards refugees crises, is of paramount importance to ensure the enduring defeat of terrorism, as well as to create lasting security and stability for our future generations,” emphasized Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan.

“Already the Helsinki Final Act from 1975 recognised that the security of Europe and the Mediterranean are interconnected. This has only grown in the years since. We have developed a close partnership and cooperate on topics ranging from strengthening the role of youth in our societies, to combatting trafficking in human beings and women’s economic empowerment. This is truly a mutually beneficial partnership and I look forward to even deepen it in the year to come,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.

The Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation include Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. With the OSCE, these nations are able to engage in bilateral dialogue and assistance resulting in meaningful co-operation across all three of the OSCE’s dimensions.

529500 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 17 October, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized the first in a series of webinars for cadets and lecturers from the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The purpose of the initiative is to raise awareness about key trends and developments in contemporary policing among students and staff of the Academy.

As October is OSCE Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the first webinar was dedicated to the topic of countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes. It was delivered by one OSCE expert and one national expert. Participants gained a better understanding of the current digital violent extremist ecosystem in the Central Asian region and the potential risks it represents. Speakers also outlined how to effectively respond to these challenges in a human rights compliant manner and elaborated on specific practical approaches in this area, including regulation, oversight, communication and public-private partnerships.

The event was attended by more than 120 cadets and lecturers. Nigmatov Ruftullo, Deputy Head of the Academy, underlined that we are living in a fast-changing world that requires adaptation and continuous learning. Educating young police cadets about contemporary trends in policing is crucial for the law enforcement in Uzbekistan to keep pace with socio-economic transformation of the communities they serve.

The upcoming webinars will focus on topics such as cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, intelligence-led policing, combating gender-based violence, promoting the meaningful participation of women in policing, leveraging innovations to fight trafficking in human beings, or new and emerging threats of trafficking in illicit drugs.

529494 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

Fifteen specialists from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan completed a four-week regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal course (EOD level 2) at the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre (REHTC) of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) in Chimteppa, on 21 October 2022.

The course was hosted by Tajikistan’s MOD and facilitated by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe in partnership with the United States Army Central (USARCENT). USARCENT and the REHTC’s instructors delivered the training course.

The activity aimed to develop the competencies and enhance the qualifications of military personnel from Central Asia in detecting and identifying explosive ordnances and determining when they can be safely moved and transported to their final disposal. Other main topics covered in the course were EOD safeties; EOD recognition; EOD equipment; protective works, and personal protective equipment.  

During the closing ceremony, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe donated transport and computer equipment to Tajikistan’s MOD.

Jukka Tuononen, Head of the OSCE Programme Office’s Politico-Military Department, noted that the role of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement is especially significant to ensure the implementation of the project and the development of its sustainability.

Representing Tajikistan’s MOD, Major General Sayorabek Bachabekzoda, Head of the Engineering Department, said: “The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe has been actively supporting the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan in the implementation of the state programme on Humanitarian Mine Action since 2003 to the present day. Another priority area for co-operation between the Ministry and the OSCE is the capacity development and training of specialists and instructors in the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Center of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence.”

The course will sustain the training capacity within the Ministries of Defence of Central Asia to train its staff on explosive hazards and operational management resources. It will allow the Ministries to continue internal capacity development and skills transfer in their departments in Central Asia and other OSCE participating States, as per national and international standards.

VIENNA/AMMAN, 23 October 2022 - The annual OSCE Mediterranean Conference will take place on 24 and 25 October 2022 at the Dead Sea, Jordan.

This year’s conference, entitled “Advancing security and co-operation in the Mediterranean: fostering dialogue with the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation”, is organized by North Macedonia, the current Chair of the Mediterranean Partners Group, and hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as member of the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation. 

OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, Chair of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan Ayman Safadi, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will address the conference.

The conference will cover topics such as the role of youth, challenges caused by climate change, the trafficking of human beings and women’s economic empowerment.

The Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, together with the OSCE and its participating States, engage in sustained dialogue and concrete co-operation across all three of the OSCE’s dimensions, the politico-military; the economic and environmental; and the human dimensions.

ZURICH, 21 October 2022 – Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, concluded his three-day visit to Switzerland today. He commended the country’s multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary approach to anti-trafficking through cantonal roundtables. He also emphasized the need to step up identification and assistance to all victims of trafficking and boost prevention measures, particularly those related to the misuse of technology.   

During his visit, Richey met with the President of the State Council of Geneva and the President of the Swiss Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, convened roundtables in Geneva and Zurich. Anticipating the new National Action Plan, Richey drew attention to the need for more targeted measures to prevent trafficking of women in prostitution, address the increasing pattern of sexual exploitation of children online, and tackle labour exploitation in business supply chains.

“Switzerland has mobilized departments across government to combat human trafficking, but the challenge remains huge.  Attention to long-term assistance to victims, tackling the demand that fosters sexual and labour exploitation, and addressing the misuse of technology should be priorities,” the Special Representative stressed. “The new National Action Plan can be leveraged to bring strategic attention to these issues.”

The Special Representative also noted numerous good practices including addressing domestic servitude in diplomatic households, increased attention of the financial intelligence unit to trafficking-related financial transactions, identification of trafficking victims during asylum procedure, and co-operation with civil society organizations.

Richey also met with members of the Federal Police, Swiss Security Network, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, State Secretariat for Migration, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Financial Intelligence Unit, and Office of the “Amiables Compositeurs”. In Bern, Richey held a thematic roundtable on human trafficking and cybercrime where he discussed increasing trend of technology-facilitated human trafficking. Richey also consulted with anti-trafficking NGOs providing victim assistance through cantonal roundtables.

Gilles Roduit, Deputy Head of Peace and Human Rights Division at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, said, “The country visit has allowed us to take advantage of the OSCE's expert view at Switzerland’s strategies against trafficking in persons. At the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, we are committed to promoting international diplomatic efforts at all levels to combat trafficking of forcibly displaced persons, migrants, as well as civilians in armed conflict.”

The Special Representative conducts multiple country visits each year to help increase the capacity of OSCE participating States to address human trafficking, share recommendations for further action, and collect best practices for fighting this heinous crime.

529446 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

A grand opening of a Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence took place on 21 October 2022 at the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics in Ashgabat.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat initiated the establishment of the Centre of Excellence to support the host government’s efforts aimed at strengthening the country's cyber/ICT security and assist the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics to take lead in preventing and countering cyberthreats.

High-level representatives of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Education and Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics as well as teachers and students of the Institute attended the inauguration ceremony.

In his speech during the grand opening, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat referred to 2013 and 2016 Decisions of the OSCE Permanent Council regarding “Confidence-Building Measures to Reduce the Risks of Conflict Stemming from the Use of Information and Communication Technologies”.

“The OSCE participating States pledged to work voluntarily to facilitate co-operation among competent national bodies and between participating States in promoting security of their information and communication technologies,” said MacGregor.

“Turkmenistan demonstrated its commitment to these important decisions by adopting state programmes for ensuring cybersecurity for 2017-2021 and 2022-2025, passing the Law on Cybersecurity and establishing Cybersecurity Service”, added MacGregor.

During the inauguration ceremony, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat officially handed over state-of-the-art equipment to the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics, which will enable the Centre of Excellence to engage in research work, initiate new projects and training activities on cyber threats and cybersecurity issues for both public and private sector cyber specialists.

“It is symbolic that the Centre of Excellence is inaugurated during the OSCE’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month,” noted MacGregor. “The OSCE Centre will continue to support the Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence by assisting the Centre of Excellence to provide a platform for sharing world practices in cybersecurity, countering cyber threats and cyberattacks.”

“The opening of the Center of Excellence on Cyber Security at the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics demonstrates the effectiveness of Turkmenistan's co-operation with the OSCE,” said Azat Atayev, Deputy Minister of Education. “I am confident that this Center will serve as a platform for sharing experience and capacity building of teachers in cybersecurity technologies, and will become a generator of new solutions for information security.”

529407 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

Law enforcement representatives from the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service of Uzbekistan attended an OSCE training course on cryptocurrencies and Dark Web investigations in Tashkent from 17 to 21 October. The course was organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in close co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and the Academy of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Participants learned about the main concepts and key trends in the areas of internetworking, anonymity and encryption, cryptocurrencies, obfuscation techniques, Dark Web, and Tor networks. They also practiced approaches and methods for cryptocurrency seizing, blockchain analysis, and searching on the Dark Web. The course was based on materials developed by the European Cybercrime Training and Education Group (ECTEG).

Prior to the event, Erkin Yuldashev, Deputy General Prosecutor of Uzbekistan, and Hans-Ulrich Ihm, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, officially inaugurated a new computer classroom donated to the General Prosecutor’s Academy by the OSCE.

Evgeniy Kolenko, Head of the Academy, said: “Digital technologies have been transforming criminal landscape and educating law enforcement in this area requires a long-term and systematic approach. Our Academy aspires to become the leading institution on cybercrime education for the criminal justice actors in Uzbekistan”.

Gayrat Musaev, Head of the Academy’s Department for Implementation of Information and Communication Technologies and Information Security, added: “Cybercrime education requires adequate equipment – both hardware and software – and up-to-date methodological materials for lecturers. The new Dark Web Lab that we inaugurated today provides an excellent technical basis for our future training”.

The course was the first national training in Uzbekistan delivered within the second phase of the “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia” extra-budgetary project, which is funded by the United States of America, Germany, and the Republic of Korea. National training activities will continue across the region throughout 2022 and 2023.

529386

The 2022 Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting was held in Vienna and online on 19 and 20 October 2022. The meeting focused on the role of Aarhus Centres in strengthening peace and security, their new Strategy and Action Plan, and on the contribution of the Centres to sustainable development.

The Annual Meetings aim to discuss and strengthen the involvement of the Aarhus Centres in promoting good environmental governance in various fields, to share experiences and lessons learnt from their work, and to identify new priorities. The Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities organizes the annual meeting, with representatives from Aarhus Centres, National Focal Points to the Aarhus Convention, representatives of non-governmental organizations, international organizations and OSCE field operations.

The 2022 OSCE Polish Chairmanship and the incoming 2023 Macedonian Chairmanship expressed support for the Meeting, stressing relevance of the Aarhus Centres’ contribution to strengthening good environmental governance in the OSCE area and supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

During the opening of the meeting, the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities Igli Hasani highlighted the role of the Centres in assisting countries across the OSCE area to tackle complex environmental challenges in times of conflict and increased security risks.

Marco Keiner, Director of the Environment Division at United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which hosts the Aarhus Convention Secretariat, underlined how the Aarhus Centres network matured over the years and continues to provide an instrumental platform for governments, communities and business in finding sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.

Noting the Aarhus Convention’s role in increasing accountability and transparency, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on Combating Corruption Anita Ramasastry emphasised that the Aarhus Centres serve to promote open, inclusive and resilient governance in the environmental sphere.

The second day of the Meeting was dedicated to a capacity-building workshop on effective fundraising strategies and tools, highlighting best practices and experiences from the Aarhus Centres in terms of environmental and organizational sustainability.

For more information about the OSCE supported Aarhus Centres, please see the webpage: Aarhus Centres | OSCE Aarhus

For more information on OCEEA’s work on good environmental governance, please see:

• Factsheet on the Aarhus Centres
• Updated Guidelines on Gender Mainstreaming in Aarhus Centres Activities
• The ESPOO Convention – selected elements in pictures

529398

On October 20th 2022, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducted a two-day expert roundtable to launch a new extra-budgetary project on fighting money laundering activities carried out via virtual assets and cryptocurrencies. The event is part of the extra-budgetary project on “innovative policy solutions to mitigate money laundering risks of virtual assets” funded by the United States and Germany.

More than 20 experts and practitioners from relevant law enforcement and financial institutions of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine discussed issues related to the risks posed by the use of virtual assets for criminal purposes and circumvention of international sanctions regimes. Participants also shared and discussed the needs and priorities of participating agencies and project beneficiaries, as well as project essentials and upcoming capacity-building activities.

“Through this project, the OSCE, together with our partners from UNODC, aims to support national authorities of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in building capacities to counter threats posed by money laundering to national, regional, and worldwide security and stability, as well as foster international and inter-agency co-operation in this area,” said Ambassador Igli Hasani, Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.

“We are committed to continuing our work to support governments in preventing criminals from laundering their proceeds. UNODC and OSCE have already conducted several joint activities on countering online drug trade, money laundering and related crimes, and this new project is an excellent example of our continuous co-operation in this field”, said Alan Cole, Chief of Border Management Branch at UNODC.

Željka Šulc The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes the appointment of the new Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council. We trust that the Chief Prosecutor will demonstrate clear and resounding commitment to ensuring the resilience, transparency, independence, professionalism, and effectiveness of the BiH judiciary. The Chief Prosecutor must ensure that the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH has the capacity and resources to address current and future challenges to the country’s stability, progress, and security, including by fighting impunity for organized crime, corruption, and war crimes. The Mission remains a committed and steadfast partner to BiH judicial institutions in their efforts to ensure justice and preserve fundamental human rights.   

ŁÓDŹ, 20 October 2022 – Increasing societal resilience to cyber threats through enhanced public awareness and education is the focus of the OSCE’S annual cyber/ICT security conference held on 20 and 21 October in Łódź, Poland.

“The organization of the OSCE conference on cyber security is now more important than ever. All the more that malicious cyber activity is an integral part of the Russian aggression against Ukraine,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau. “The sophistication of malicious cyber activities, together with the deteriorating security situation make it more important than ever to build and sustain cyber resilience,” he added.

“The emphasis of this conference is on building societal resilience – and this is vital. Raising public awareness of cyber threats is an urgent task for every one of our participating States,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. “As our dependence on digital products grows, we must strengthen public knowledge of the risks and how to mitigate them.”

Over the two days, a range of national representatives, experts from both the public and private sectors, NGOs and academia will convene for sessions on the multifaceted approaches to combatting threats in cyberspace. The sessions will consist of panel debates followed by questions and comments from the audience.

Cyberspace is a crucial part of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security. With a constantly looming threat from both state and non-state actors, the need for cyber/ICT security for all participating States and their respective citizens has never been more evident. Accordingly, the OSCE will continue to prioritise co-operation in cyber/ICT security at all levels. 

529311 Marina Živaljević

Forensic centres in the Western Balkans have committed to use OSCE best practices in development of handbooks to further improve regional co-operation and help countries meet international standards in the exchange of forensic data.

This was a conclusion from the seventh regional conference of forensic centres, organized by the Forensic Centre of Montenegro, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, on 20 and 21 October in Budva.

Around 15 experts and heads of forensic laboratories from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia participated in the conference that focused on practical application of information technologies in digital forensics.

The event was an opportunity for Otabek Rashidov, Programme Officer in the OSCE Secretariat’s Action against Terrorism Unit, to present the training materials on Requesting E-evidence Across Borders, developed by the OSCE and UNODC and other international organizations based on the related Practical Guide. Participants agreed that the document can serve as an example for the countries of the Western Balkan region to develop a regional handbook for working with digital evidence, as well as instructions for the regional exchange of forensic data.

Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of the Mission, stated that the OSCE is strongly committed to support intelligence-led policing, in particular in the fight against organized crime and in promoting regional co-operation. “Since 2008, the OSCE Mission has been a partner and active supporter of the Forensic Centre, which, through its concerted efforts has evolved into a regional hub. Active co-operation and networking is crucial, as transnational crime does not recognise borders. Forensic investigations play an increasingly important role in securing hard evidence in establishing proof beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal trials,” said Leirtroe.

Aleksandar Ivanović, Director of the Forensic Centre and member of the board of the European Association of Forensic Science Institutions, said that regional co-operation in forensic examination, research, analysis and expertise is crucial not only for the work of the police and the judiciary, but also for states themselves. “The aim of this conference is for the countries of the region to harmonize their forensic procedures when investigating and solving crime, especially in relation to technological crime,” said Ivanović.

One of the expected outcomes of the seventh regional forensic conference is for the respective forensic institutions in the region to sign an agreement on co-operation.

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The XV Annual Prosecutorial Symposium took place from 17-20 October 2022 in Neum, gathering over 200 prosecutors and other criminal justice professionals around different panel discussions on criminal matters. 

Šeila Heljić, President of the FBiH Association of Prosecutors said, “The Annual Prosecutorial Symposium has become one of the most important training opportunities for prosecutors and other criminal justice professionals. The symposium and the panels provide participants with insight in the present state in this field and enable exchange of experiences.  Continuous training is of crucial importance for enhancing the capacity of criminal justice sector, including to effectively process the THB related cases and war crimes cases.”  

The OSCE Mission to BiH supported organization of two panel discussions for prosecutors and experts, one on war crimes case processing and another on trafficking in human beings (THB). 

During the war crimes panel, jointly organized with HJPC Project “Enhancing war crimes case processing in BiH – IPA 2019” and the Mission’s EU-funded War Crimes Monitoring Project, a particular focus was placed on war crimes case processing in prosecutor’s offices, particularly in relation to an overview of and perspectives on implementation of the Revised National War Crimes Processing Strategy and relevant recommendations from the 2020 report by Judge Joanna Korner, QC. In addition, the peer-to-peer sessions delved into also issues in war crimes processing related to prosecutorial investigations, the presentation of the indictment, and appeals, as well as support and protection to witnesses in war crimes cases.

The panel on combating trafficking in human beings was jointly supported by the OSCE Mission to BiH, the International Organization for Migration, the Council of Europe, and International Forum of Solidarity-Emmaus.

“By organizing a panel on combating trafficking in human beings as a part of the Annual Prosecutorial Symposium, we marked the European Day against trafficking in human beings, underlining the role of criminal justice professionals in ensuring that victims are heard, recognized and taken seriously”, said Boris Topic, National Anti-Trafficking Officer at the OSCE Mission to BiH.

529266 Farhod Nabiyulloev Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

A two-day International High-Level Conference on “International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists” concluded on 19 October in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The conference was co-organized by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Union (EU), with the support of the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, opened the event. The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, stressed that “taking into account the complex situation in the region, the Government of Tajikistan pays special attention to the continuous strengthening of the state border protection and takes necessary measures to prevent the movement of terrorist fighters, drug and arms trafficking and other transnational organized crimes”.

Opening followed by a video messages from H.E. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, and H.E Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General, in which she stated: “In recent years, cross-border and other security threats have become increasingly more complex, and challenges multiply at a dizzying pace. No state can tackle threats like transnational organized crime, trafficking in human beings, terrorism or drug-trafficking alone. Greater co- operation both at regional and international levels is imperative”. 

The OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats, Ambassador Alena Kupchyna, attended the Conference in person throughout the two days as well. Ambassador Kupchyna said: "We support regional co-operation to create preparedness and build trust in countering transnational threats while protecting humanrights". 

Presenting the Co-Chair’s Summary of the Conference, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Voronkov thanked the Government of Tajikistan for hosting. He commended the engagement of its over 900 participants that led to fruitful deliberations. 

Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Tea Jaliashvili addressed participants of the Conference and also opened the conference Side Event on “Behavioural Insights to Counter Terrorism: Applying Behavioural Techniques for Securing Borders”. In her remarks, she drew attention to the criticality of strengthening cooperation between government, law enforcement and civil society when countering terrorism and violent extremism within border security and management, and applying OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security. “Only by applying comprehensive and constructive – hard and soft – measures to counter-terrorism and border security management involving both government and civil society actors, results are achieved,” added Jaliashvili.

This Conference is part of the “Dushanbe Process” launched in May 2018, when the first High- Level International Conference of the process on "Countering Terrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism" (Dushanbe, 3-4 May 2018) was jointly convened in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, UN entities, the OSCE and the EU. The UNOCT High-Level Conference of the process on “International and Regional Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and its Financing Through Illicit Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime” was convened on 16-17 May 2019 in Dushanbe.

Opening of High-Level Conference on “International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists” | OSCE

Conference on border security and management, counter-terrorism, to take place in Dushanbe | OSCE 

VIENNA, 19 October 2022 – Following the invitation by the government of the Republic of Armenia, the OSCE will send a needs assessment team to the country on 21-27 October.

The purpose of the visit is to assess the situation in certain border areas, on the basis of the OSCE’s mandate and expertise within its comprehensive concept of security.

The technical team comprised of international experts and representatives of the OSCE Secretariat will visit areas along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and hold consultations with the relevant national and local stakeholders as well as international partners on the ground.