CTED and UNODC co-organize regional meeting on effective international judicial cooperation

BMUSONI — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 15:07:00 +0000

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Already in 2013, the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched a process that focused on effective so-called central authorities in requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. A central authority is an agency or organization that is designed to play a key facilitating role in the implementation and operation of international judicial cooperation. Since then, two regional gatherings have been held on this theme, with a third meeting recently arranged in Asia.

From 7 to 9 November 2017, CTED and UNODC co-organized a regional meeting for South and South-East Asian countries on international judicial cooperation in terrorist cases, including cases involving foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs). This follows the adoption by the Security Council of resolution 2322 (2016), which reiterated the importance of international cooperation, and reminded Member States of the critical role played by central authorities in this respect.

Held in Kandooma, and hosted by the Government of the Maldives, the regional meeting’s opening remarks were delivered by the Minister of Defence and National Security, Honourable Adam Shareef Umar. Participants discussed challenges and possible solutions, including on the collection of digital evidence, and were requested to identify priority actions to be taken by their respective governments. Funded by the Governments of Canada and Japan, the regional meeting saw the participation of experts from Australia, Canada, and the United States, as well as representatives from INTERPOL, the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

An outcome document is in the process of being processed; it will be posted here as soon as it is available.

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United Nations Security Council unanimously adopts resolution on international judicial cooperation in countering terrorism

BMUSONI — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 17:13:00 +0000

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ecurity Council meeting Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts International Judicial Cooperation in countering terrorism Letter dated 2 December 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (S/2016/1030)

The transnational nature of terrorism requires a coordinated response for all States and actors of the international community. Cooperation in judicial matters is an indispensable requirement in order to overcome challenges pertaining to the investigation and prosecution of terrorist acts, particularly when the various elements of a case are spread beyond the jurisdictions of several States.

These were some of the conclusions of the 12 December 2016 high-level, open briefing of the United Nations Security Council on international judicial cooperation in countering terrorism.

Resolution 2322 (2016), unanimously adopted by the Council under the presidency of Spain, reinforces mechanisms for mutual legal assistance, and includes references to new information and communication technologies (ICT) including the Internet, to facilitate the process of gathering and sharing of evidence with judicial authorities. The resolution also has a special focus on cooperation in terms of obtaining and preserving e-evidence, and reinforcing a network of so-called Central Authorities.

In addition, the resolution seeks to strengthen police-to-police cooperation in several areas, including through the reinforcement of the INTERPOL 24/7 communication network, as well as the development of regional networks of focal points such as the one approved by the Council of Europe in its Additional Protocol, which has been operative since late November 2016.

This resolution is significant for the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate (CTED) in their work to promote international cooperation at all levels, including by investigators, prosecutors, and judges, in order to prevent, investigate, and prosecute terrorist acts.

“Our policies and methods must reach beyond the parameters of traditional security by taking a larger perspective, based on international cooperation not only between Member States but also with specialized and regional organizations, as well as on partnerships with civil society, academia, and the private sector,” Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of CTED Mr. Jean-Paul Laborde stated in his remarks to the Security Council on 12 December 2016.

For more information, please see: /press/en/2016/sc12620.doc.htm

Front Page Article:

Security Council - Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) - judicial cooperation

CTED and UNODC co-organize regional meeting on effective international judicial cooperation

maldives_international_judicial_coop_7_9_nov_2017.jpg

United Nations Security Council unanimously adopts resolution on international judicial cooperation in countering terrorism

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