CTED hosts 12th Regional counter-terrorism workshop for judges, prosecutors, and police in South Asia

BMUSONI — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 09:18:00 +0000

The 12^th Regional workshop for judges, prosecutors, and police in South Asia on effectively countering terrorism took place in Colombo from 5 to 7 June 2017. Over the past eight years, these regional workshops have involved over 300 senior judges, prosecutors, and police officials representing all eight member States of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Organized by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), in cooperation with the Government of Sri Lanka and the Global Center on Cooperative Security, the workshop allows participants to identify a number of counter-terrorism-related gaps and potential solutions.

CTED and its partners continue to take their findings into account in facilitating the delivery of technical assistance aimed at strengthening Member States’ capacities in these areas.

Some of the participants in the workshop.

Representatives of numerous regional and international organizations have been engaged in the project, which provides law enforcement officials from across the region the opportunity to interact and share experiences with their counterparts on sensitive counter-terrorism-related issues.

The project has also fostered the creation of a regional online network of expert practitioners who are able to share information and good practices in a number of sensitive areas, including domestic and international cooperation in criminal matters, interview and interrogation, use of sensitive evidence, advanced investigative techniques, and gender.

Project donors include Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Sweden, and the United States of America.

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Regional workshop part of building a modern judiciary in South Asia

BMUSONI — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 16:13:00 +0000

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His Lordship K. Sri Pavan, Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, with some of the participants. Photo credit: Official Parliament of Sri Lanka photo by U.G. Nuwan Duminda

“The quality of justice will

[…] depend on the quality of performance of our judges. A competent judiciary is an essential ingredient to develop a modern judicial system, that is credible, transparent, speedy, and of high quality.” These were the words of His Lordship K. Sri Pavan, Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, in his keynote address to participants in a national workshop for judges held at the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute in Colombo early October.

Participants of the regional workshop.
Photo credit: Official Parliament of Sri Lanka photo by U.G. Nuwan Duminda

The Sri Lankan national workshop was organized on the margins of a Regional workshop on effectively countering terrorism in South Asia, arranged in the country’s capital on 3-5 October 2016. The regional initiative was the 11^th workshop of its kind, and a concrete way to promote cooperation between those that have to enforce the rules and go after the perpetrators of terrorist acts. This year’s workshop specifically focused on the challenges related to foreign terrorist fighters, individuals who travel to a State other than their States of residence or nationality for the purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in, terrorist acts or the providing or receiving of terrorist training, including in connection with armed conflict.

The challenges of deterring and bringing terrorists to justice are large in scope and the complexities often discouraging. In South Asia as in all other parts of the world, terrorism is linked to a host of other challenges including the flow of illicit goods and persons – of explosives, illegal funds, and suspected criminals – across borders. Developing the capacity of States, their law enforcement officials and members of the judiciary on both sides of the border to be adequately equipped to deal with these issues requires a cooperative, sustained approach.

Over the last seven years, the regional workshops – jointly organized by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Global Center on Cooperative Security – have involved over 300 senior judges, prosecutors, and police officials representing all of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. Donor countries include Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Sweden, and the United States of America. Also representatives of numerous regional and international organizations have been involved in various ways over the years.

Front Page Article:

Security Council - Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) - SAARC

CTED hosts 12th Regional counter-terrorism workshop for judges, prosecutors, and police in South Asia

Regional workshop part of building a modern judiciary in South Asia

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