Central Europe

The 1st International Forum of Business Ombudspersons “Strengthening Interregional Cooperation and Integrity in Business Sphere” was held in Tashkent on December 14, 2021. The Forum was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan jointly with the Commissioner under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of business entities (Business Ombudsman).

OSCE participating states have endorsed a number of commitments in promoting economic development and enhancing good governance. Guided by the universally recognized values and principles, the organization has acknowledged the importance to involve the private sector into enhancing good governance. Such engagement of the business community is vital to promote business integrity; develop a fair business environment; and fight against corruption effectively.

OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan Pierre von Arx said in the opening remarks: “For a number years the OSCE has been an active supporter of good governance initiatives and anti-corruption programmes in Uzbekistan. In particular, the Office is implementing a project on promoting business integrity standards. Within this project, we have been successfully supporting activities on raising awareness on business integrity and good corporate governance; providing capacity-building and best international expertise; and facilitating dialogue between the government and the business.

The forum was attended by business ombudspersons from Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Korea, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, altogether more than 120 participants, including 96 men and 24 women, representing private sector and state bodies.

The main topic of the forum was the strengthening of interregional co-operation and business integrity, which is especially relevant in the context of a dynamically changing external environment and globalization of the world economy.

Co-operation in the field of legislation, partnership in the field of protecting the rights and legitimate interests of business entities, support for the development of entrepreneurship were other issues discussed at the forum.

The event was organized with the support of Turkey and the US as part of the extra-budgetary project “Support Uzbekistan in implementing and promoting business integrity standards”.

A high-level conference on raising awareness on gender inequalities and corruption took place on 10 December 2021, in hybrid format in Tirana. Organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, the event marked the end of Integrity Week in Albania, which raised awareness of the opportunities that gender-specific approaches to fighting corruption offer to boost socio-economic growth, security, and to consolidate democracy.

The event saw the participation and contributions by OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, and Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.

“Corruption has gendered impacts and obstructs women’s economic empowerment. We need more support for gender-sensitive anti-corruption programmes. The OSCE has the mandate and capacity to make a difference. Thank you to the OSCE Presence in Albania for organizing this event”, said Secretary General Schmid at the opening via teleconference.

“The OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security cuts across the three dimensions including the economic and human dimensions, which foster and focus on the meaningful participation and protection of women in the political arena as well as in human rights and freedom from violence. I believe that this comprehensive understanding of security is one of the greatest strengths of the OSCE”, Ambassador Verveer said.

Albania’s Deputy Minister of Justice, Adea Pirdeni, informed participants that the ministry would begin an inclusive process to prepare a new anti-corruption strategy that increases the involvement of women and girls in all dimensions of the fight against corruption. “We were very pleased to receive very recently a study commissioned by the OSCE, which proves the need to dedicate specific attention to a gender-sensitive approach to corruption,” Pirdeni said.

The ambassadors of Sweden and Netherlands to Albania Elsa Håstad and Reinout Vos, Vice President of Luiss University Professor Paola Severino, and Chairwoman of Albania International Chamber of Commerce Bilgen Aldan were also present in the event. The conference’s first panel explored how issues of gender equality impact overarching societal development and framed the importance of inclusion for sustainable development in an international context.

The second panel featured findings from preliminary research conducted in Albania in the field of gender inequalities and corruption, with a particular focus on the fields of healthcare and tertiary education. Ambassador Melanne Verveer and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Corruption, Professor Anita Ramasastry, chaired the two technical panels. Deputy Head of Presence Clarisse Pasztory moderated the event.

The event took place as part of the annual Integrity Week organized by the International Chamber of Commerce in Albania with the support of the Dutch Embassy and other partners, including the Presence.

“Enforced and involuntary disappearances in dictatorship and authoritarian past and contemporary settings: a social, legal and historical appraisal of transitional and transformation polices and mechanisms,” was the topic of an international conference held in Tirana and online, from 13 to 15 December 2021.

The OSCE Presence in Albania and the University of Tirana’s Centre for Justice and Transformation jointly organized the event with the financial support of the German Government. Academics, practitioners and policy-makers who experienced authoritarian regimes and dictatorships discussed the issue of missing persons in transitional justice and transformation settings and ways to foster human rights and rule of law.

In his opening remarks, Vincenzo Del Monaco, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania said: “Not one single case of enforced disappearances seems to have been solved successfully to date. Justice and reconciliation is still pending for the missing persons’ relatives. Evidence suggests that they are often compelled to undertake identification and, in some cases, perform arduous excavation of suspected mass graves single-handedly. Working closely with the Albanian institutions and civil society, the Presence has been involved in enhancing institutional capacities, supporting legislative and policy-making efforts and promoting academic and policy debate on the issue of missing persons in Albania.”

In his online address, Ulsi Manja, Minister of Justice said that the issue of enforced disappearances should be dealt with the utmost of care and sensitivity. He also mentioned steps taken by Albania’s Government over the last years, especially focusing on establishing a common database on missing people. The database will enable the collection of accurate and reliable information on missing persons.

“Nothing belongs to the past, everything is present and has the potential to become the future,” said the German Ambassador, Peter Zingraf, quoting Fritz Bauer, public prosecutor of the first of the Auschwitz trials in the 1960s. “Germany financially supports the OSCE project on transitional justice because we know about the importance of coming to terms with even the darkest sides of Albania’s history, and just like Fritz Bauer, I truly believe that facing one’s past is fundamental for the wellbeing of the society, today and in the future.”

Around 6,000 Albanians have gone missing during the communist regime, and their whereabouts are still unknown. This human rights violation deeply and constantly affects the families of the missing. The OSCE Presence in Albania stands alongside the authorities in their efforts to identify and recover those who have gone missing during the communist regime.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, between the evenings of 10 and 12 December, the SMM recorded 211 ceasefire violations, including 30 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 842 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, between the evenings of 10 and 12 December, the Mission recorded 599 ceasefire violations, including 107 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded eight ceasefire violations in the region.
• Small-arms fire was assessed as directed at SMM mini-unmanned aerial vehicles near government-controlled Shumy and Kostiantynivka, and near non-government-controlled Betmanove, all in Donetsk region.
• Members of the armed formations denied the Mission passage near Zolote and Molodizhne, and delayed its passage near Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk region.*
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and three corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at two checkpoints of the armed formations in Horlivka, Donetsk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles encountered multiple instances of GPS signal interference assessed as caused by probable jamming.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

On the morning of 13 December, the armed formations in Luhansk region twice denied the Mission’s passage to non-government-controlled areas. The SMM patrols were travelling from government-controlled areas.

The first denial occurred at 09:20, at about 350m north of the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote. The second occurred at 11:10, at a checkpoint of the armed formations on road T-0504 about 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne. Members of the armed formations cited a “lack of security guarantees” on the first occasion and “orders from their superiors” on the second. The SMM had preannounced its passage as a temporary, COVID-19 related courtesy.

For recent restrictions faced by the Mission when crossing the contact line, see SMM Spot Reports 27/2021, 28/2021, 29/2021, 30/2021, 31/2021, 32/2021, 33/2021, 34/2021, 35/2021, 36/2021, 38/2021, 39/2021, and 40/2021.

The Mission again notes that such denials not only restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, but also prevent the SMM’s logistical operations, which are essential for the effective functioning of the Mission.

The OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 specifies that the SMM shall have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. Unrestricted and unconditional access to all areas is essential to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation, as well as other mandated tasks. The mandate also tasks the Mission to report on any restrictions of its freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate.

508049

The OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) concluded its 30th Staff Course, held in a blended format, on 10 December 2021 with the physical presence of the majority of participants in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Twenty-five managers from the border, coast guard, migration service, customs, and drug control agencies participated in the course. They represented twelve OSCE States and Partners for Co-operation, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Portugal, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, and Turkey.

In his opening remarks, Valeriu Chiveri, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, highlighted the importance of the course in providing an opportunity for meaningful interchange of ideas, views, and experiences and identification of innovative approaches in achieving sustainable security at the borders.

The one-month course, delivered in an interactive learning style, covered seven modules that present the OSCE’s integrated approach to effective border security and management. The topics covered during the study sessions included, among others, border security and management models, transnational threats, risk assessment, cybersecurity, trafficking in human beings, trade facilitation integrity, and anti-corruption.

Chandmani Bold, Senior Lieutenant, Checkpoint Inspector at the General Authorities for Border Protection of Mongolia and course graduate said that the session on combating trafficking in human beings in the context of border security and management, where the victims shared real life stories, was of particular interest to her.

Throughout the month-long course, participants engaged in face-to-face and online lectures, follow-up discussions and activities, group exercises, research, and two study visits to the K-9 Centre of Tajikistan Drug Control Agency and to the Tajik-Uzbek border. 

A roundtable discussion was organized within the framework of the course to talk about the situation in Afghanistan and address current and potential cross-border threats it poses to the Central Asian region. Discussions focused on identifying countermeasures and mitigation strategies in countering cross-border implications and strengthening border controls, taking into account the need to provide safe havens for refugees, to protect their rights and establish referral mechanisms.

507989 Kunduz Rysbek

The 7th Annual Conference of the Kyrgyz Association of Women Judges on "Increasing the level of independence of judges as a way to counter corruption" took place on 10 and 11 December in Bishkek.

Representatives of the judiciary system and various state bodies, including representatives of the Presidential Administration, Jogorku Kenesh (parliament), the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Bar Association, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Ombudsman and civil society organizations attended the conference.

The aim of the conference was to discuss increasing the independence of judges as one of the means to counter corruption, improving the legislation on judicial activity and other measures to prevent corruption.

Participants also discussed the results of the monitoring of trials and law enforcement practice on corruption and other crimes against state and municipal property interests, conducted by the Kyrgyz Association of Women Judges. Participants also had the opportunity to learn about international experience in judicial review of corruption offenses and develop recommendations to the relevant government agencies for improving legislation and law enforcement practice in judicial review of corruption offenses.

This two-day event was organized by the Kyrgyz Association of Women Judges with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, UNDP and the USAID Ukuk Bulagy Initiative.

508004

On 9 December 2021, the OSCE launched the regional project ‘Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe’.

Representatives of OSCE participating States and five national multi-agency committees that were established in the framework of the project from July to December 2021, attended the event. The establishment of the multi-agency committees marks the successful implementation of the first pillar of the project: multi-sectoral co-ordination. The Committees will function until the end of the project and will enhance co-ordination between all relevant stakeholders; contributing to a multi-sectoral approach to combating gender-based violence.

“For the past three weeks, we have heard a lot about gender-based violence. This human rights violation continues to silence too many voices in our societies,” stated Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats. “We need a collective effort to stop all forms of gender-based violence. The goal of this project is to ensure that women from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia trust the authorities, feel safe to report violence, receive support and achieve justice.”

Throughout 2022, the project will focus on increasing the effectiveness of criminal justice practitioners when responding to cases of gender-based violence. Among the planned activities for 2022 are developing curricula in accordance with the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention and other international standards, and expanding networks of trainers with expertise on the topic.

The project is currently being implemented with the financial support of Germany, Norway, Finland, and France, and will run until 2024.

STOCKHOLM/VIENNA, 12 December 2021 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid made the following statement regarding the decision taken on Friday in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) by the Republika Srpska National Assembly (RSNA) to take further steps in the direction of unilateral withdrawal from transfer agreements from the entities to the State. 

“The adoption of a set of conclusions by the RSNA calling for unilateral withdrawal of competencies from State to entity level is escalating tension and going against the achievements of the last 26 years. We call on political leaders in Republika Srpska to refrain from negative and divisive political actions,” said Chairperson-in-Office Linde. “Challenging the Dayton Peace Agreement and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitutional order risks jeopardizing peace and stability in the country and in the region.”

OSCE Secretary General Schmid said: “The ongoing crisis impacts the economy, discourages investment and slows down key reforms. Unfortunately, the burden of this crisis will once again fall on citizens that are already facing increased unemployment, corruption, and shortcomings in healthcare”.

Linde and Schmid urged all parties to restore State-level institutions to full functionality and engage in constructive political dialogue to reach consensus for the benefit of all citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 842 ceasefire violations, including 78 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 1,463 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded eight ceasefire violations, including one explosion. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 161 ceasefire violations in the region.
• The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• The SMM visited three border crossing points and monitored areas near the border outside government control in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at four entry-exit checkpoints and the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at three checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region, at a border crossing point outside government-control near Dovzhanske and at the Chervona Mohyla railway station in Voznesenivka (formerly Chervonopartyzansk), Luhansk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles encountered instances of GPS signal interference assessed as caused by probable jamming.*

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

On the morning of 11 December, the armed formations in Luhansk region twice denied, and once delayed, the Mission’s passage to government-controlled areas. The SMM patrols were travelling from non-government-controlled areas.

The first denial occurred at 09:06, at the checkpoint of the armed formations near the southern edge of the disengagement area near Zolote. The second occurred at 11:04 at a checkpoint of the armed formations on road T-0504 about 1.5km south-west of Molodizhne. Members of the armed formations cited a “lack of security guarantees” on the first occasion and “orders from their superiors” on the second.

At 09:25, the passage of another SMM patrol travelling through the checkpoint of the armed formations south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge was delayed for about 46 minutes. Members of the armed formations cited a “lack of prior notification”. The SMM had preannounced its passage as a temporary, COVID-19 related courtesy.

For recent restrictions faced by the Mission when crossing the contact line, see SMM Spot Reports 27/2021, 28/2021, 29/2021, 30/2021, 31/2021, 32/2021, 33/2021, 34/2021, 35/2021, 36/2021, 38/2021 and 39/2021.

The Mission again notes that such denials and delays not only restrict the SMM’s freedom of movement across the contact line, but also prevent the SMM’s logistical operations, which are essential for the effective functioning of the Mission.

The OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1117 specifies that the SMM shall have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. Unrestricted and unconditional access to all areas is essential to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the security situation, as well as other mandated tasks. The mandate also tasks the Mission to report on any restrictions of its freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate.

Richard Wheeler

An OSCE-supported online Forum of Defense Lawyers concluded on 19 November 2021. The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in co-operation with the Republican Collegium of Advocates and the Legal Policy Research Centre.

The event focused on challenges to institutional and professional independence of advocates, the quality of legal aid in current circumstances and legal aid solutions in the context of digitalization.

Some 130 participants representing the Collegium of Advocates, NGOs, international experts and legal experts attended the Forum. The participants discussed potential solutions of the challenges facing by defence lawyers while fulfilling their work.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and to support the development of the legal profession in the host country.

Richard Wheeler

An OSCE-supported two-day XII Internet Forum “Development of the Internet sphere in Central Asia” was concluded on 19 November 2021 in Almaty. The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in co-operation with the MediaNet International Centre for Journalism and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

The event focused on national legislative practices of Internet regulation in Central Asia, international standards of Internet regulation, freedom of speech and opportunities of self-regulation. Participants also discussed a legislative initiative to protect children from cyberbullying in Kazakhstan and mandatory registration of foreign social networks in Kazakhstan.

Some 45 participants representing state bodies and NGOs, as well as independent national and international experts from across Central Asia attended the Forum.

The training seminar is part of the Programme Office’s efforts in supporting the host country in strengthening human rights and fundamental freedoms.

507941 Jeff Bieley Edita Buçaj

Today the OSCE Mission in Kosovo concluded a week of training exercises on combating environmental crime for police officers, prosecutors, judges, municipal officials, and representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development.

“Environmental crimes, such as illegal logging or hazardous waste dumping, impact our daily lives, the planet and the future of our children. To combat such crimes effectively, it is necessary to understand their nature, build capacity and study techniques to prevent the great risk they pose to our health, the environment and economic prosperity,” said Kilian Wahl, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

The training course increased the knowledge of participants on identifying, preventing and combating environmental crimes. The course also  enhanced participants’ ability to co-operate and understand how to take joint and co-ordinated actions against such crimes.

The Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu addressed participants at the concluding session. This was done alongside Jan-Axel Voss, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in Prishtinë/Priština, and Riza Shillova, Directorate for Strategic Planning of Kosovo Police. 

“It is important to work together because we need an integrated approach to strengthen the system to protect the environment. Two emergent approaches are needed to protect the environment: first is fighting environmental crime and second is educating young generations to protect the environment,” Minister Aliu said. 

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is mandated with protecting and promoting human rights, democratization and public safety sector development. The Mission will continue to support activities tackling environmental crime in 2022.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Summary

• In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded 1,463 ceasefire violations, including 142 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 815 ceasefire violations in the region.
• In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded 161 ceasefire violations, including 97 explosions. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 32 ceasefire violations in the region.
• Members of the armed formations denied the SMM passage near Zolote and Molodizhne, Luhansk region, and delayed its passage for more than two hours near Olenivka, Donetsk region.*
• The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske.
• The SMM facilitated and monitored the operation of and repairs to critical civilian infrastructure.
• The Mission continued following up on the situation of civilians, including at three entry-exit checkpoints and the corresponding checkpoints of the armed formations in Luhansk region.
• The Mission’s freedom of movement continued to be restricted, including at two checkpoints of the armed formations in Donetsk region. Its unmanned aerial vehicles encountered instances of GPS signal interference, assessed as caused by probable jamming.*

508157 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat conducted an online lecture series to support the education of future diplomats in Turkmenistan, which concluded today in Ashgabat.

The five-day lecture series is a continuation of a long-running OSCE project activity on topics including neutrality, negotiations, women in diplomacy, the ‘art’ of being a diplomat and inclusive participation in promoting peace and security.

Professors and students from the Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and International University for Humanity and Development participated in the lectures.

High-level career diplomats from Belarus, Moldova and the US delivered the lecture series. The first set of lectures presented examples from the leading international negotiation schools, pointing out similarities and differences and revealing secrets of achieving effective results during the negotiation process. Other key topics of the lecture series included how women in diplomacy can make a difference and overcome challenges and the importance of gender mainstreaming and increased participation of women in foreign affairs.

“This set of lectures will introduce future diplomats to insightful perspectives of the negotiation process, which is critical to conflict prevention and resolution. Additionally, the students will further strengthen their knowledge about the role of women in peacebuilding processes, which remains yet another OSCE commitment aimed at promoting and supporting the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in the OSCE region,” said John MacGregor, head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

507860 Marina Živaljević

Forensic science plays an increasingly larger role in criminal investigations. Joint forensic work on projects and cases with a regional character are crucial in combating organized crime. This was the conclusion of the sixth annual regional meeting of forensic centres, held in hybrid format, in Podgorica on 9 and 10 December 2021.

The Ministry of Interior’s Forensic Centre of the Police Directorate, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, organized the event. Sixteen participants from forensic laboratories in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia attended the meeting.

Stephen Harmon, the Mission’s Acting Programme Manager for Security Co-operation and Governance, applauded ongoing regional co-operation amongst forensic centers and laboratories in his opening remarks.  “This active co-operation is crucial, as evolving transnational threats do not recognize borders. Let me assure you that the Mission stands firm in its commitment to support the Montenegrin authorities in fighting organized and serious crime, and we will continue to support the development of forensic expertise,” he added.

Aleksandar Ivanović, Director of the Forensic Centre of Montenegro and member of the board of the European Association of Forensic Science Institutions (ENFSI), said that the conference has enhanced operational co-operation at the regional level. “This year’s regional conference will fuel the work on drafting an agreement on co-operation between the Western Balkans forensic laboratories, as well as joint work on projects and cases of regional character.”

Ivanović noted that previous regional meetings had resulted in joint work on cross-border organized crime, a more active role in international forensic associations, and mentoring activities in the accreditation of specific lines of forensic work.

Dorijan Kerzan, a representative of the ENFSI Board, also highlighted the organization’s continued support for forensic science laboratories across the EU member and candidate states through its regular meetings and technical working groups. “Only accredited and forensic centres with credible status in their own country are eligible to be part of the association,” said Kerzan.

The Mission supports Montenegrin authorities in fighting organized and serious crime, and will continue to support the development of forensic expertise to contribute effectively to this goal.

Richard Wheeler

Ensuring protection and promotion of rights of persons with disabilities was the focus of an OSCE supported online roundtable discussion concluded on 3 December 2021. The aim was to discuss issues related to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) in Kazakhstan.

Some 45 government officials, representatives of the Ombudsperson Institution, experts from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and representatives of non-governmental and international organizations took part.

They discussed key indicators towards the development of an accessible environment for persons with disabilities. An easy-to-read version of the UN CRDP’s text in the Russian language was presented at the event.

The event was organized in co-operation with OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the NGO Association of Women with Disabilities “Shyrak”.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s efforts in assisting the host country to promote a more inclusive and participatory society.

A five-day OSCE-supported training course on internet investigations and open source intelligence gathering (OSINT) for criminal justice practitioners from the five Central Asian OSCE participating States concluded on 10 December 2021.

The training course was based on materials developed by the European Cybercrime Training and Education Group (ECTEG), and focused on countering terrorism reflected in case studies and practical exercises. It covered topics such as open source intelligence gathering methodology and tradecraft, social network investigations, search and collection of intelligence for countering terrorism online, and human rights compliance in cybercrime investigations.

The training course was delivered as part of the OSCE project, ‘Capacity-building on combating cybercrime in Central Asia,’ implemented by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department in close co-operation with OSCE field operations in the region. The aim of the project is to build sustainable national training capacities for police officers and prosecutors on combating cybercrime. The project is financially supported by the United States and the Republic of Korea.

This year, the project delivered two train-the-trainers courses and thematic training courses on handling digital evidence by first responders, as well as investigating crimes facilitated by the use of Dark Web and virtual currencies. The aim is to equip the criminal justice practitioners appointed as ‘national trainers’ for this project with the knowledge and skills necessary for developing and delivering their own courses on combating cybercrime. Next year, they will develop and deliver a first round of pilot training activities at the national level, with support from the OSCE.

507752

Five representatives from the Republic of Armenia’s police and Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Justice Kristin Grigoryan participated in a two-and-a-half day study visit, organized by the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit and hosted by the Swedish Police Authority, Police Region Stockholm.

This visit took place from 7 to 9 December 2021 and is part of the ongoing support that the OSCE is providing to the police reform in Armenia. The delegation met with the representative of the Government of Sweden and the Swedish police who shared their knowledge and experiences of the Swedish concept of dialogue policing.

During the last day of the visit, the delegation had the opportunity to visit the Special Police Tactic training facilities at Rosersberg, outside Stockholm.