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Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities in 2023

October 30, 2024 OSCE

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Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities 2023 The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world’s largest regional security organization, working to ensure peace, democracy and stability for more than a billion people between Vancouver and Vladivostok.

This report is submitted in accordance with Decision 9, Paragraph 6, of the Bucharest Ministerial Council Meeting of 4 December 2001.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may be freely used and copied for educational and other non-commercial purposes, provided that any such reproduction be accompanied by an acknowledgement of the OSCE as the source.

OSCE Secretariat Transnational Threats Department Strategic Police Matters Unit Wallnerstrasse 6 1010 Vienna, Austria

E-mail: SPMU@osce.org www.osce.org/secretariat/policing Contents

Foreword by the Secretary General 2 2.3 Central Asia 89 2.3.1 Programme Office in Bishkek 89 2.3.3 Programme Office in Dushanbe 94 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 2.3.4 Programme Office in Astana 96 2.3.5 Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan 98

1. POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE OSCE SECRETARIAT 6 3. POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF OTHER 1.1 Transnational Threats Department/ OSCE INSTITUTIONS 99 Strategic Police Matters Unit (TNTD/SPMU)8 3.1 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and 1.2 TNTD/Action against Terrorism Unit Human Rights (ODIHR) 100 (TNTD/ATU)24 3.2 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE 1.3 TNTD/Border Security and Management High Commissioner on National Minorities Unit (TNTD/BSMU) 29 (HCNM)105 1.4 Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE 3.3 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities Representative on Freedom of the Media (OCEEA)37 (RFoM)106 1.5 Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 39 4. OTHER RELEVANT PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES108

4.1 Support Programme for Ukraine 110 2. POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF FIELD OPERATIONS43

2.1 South-Eastern Europe 44 5. APPENDICES112 2.1.1 Presence in Albania 44 APPENDIX I 114 2.1.2 Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina 46 MC and PC Decisions, Declarations and 2.1.3 Mission in Kosovo 53 Action Plans with a Focus on Police-Related 2.1.4 Mission to Montenegro 68 Activities114 2.1.5 Mission to Serbia 72 APPENDIX II 120 2.1.6 Mission to Skopje 81 Abbreviations and Acronyms 120 2.2 Eastern Europe 87 APPENDIX III 125 2.2.1 Mission to Moldova 87 Contact Details 125 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Foreword by the Secretary General

I am pleased to present the 2023 edition of the Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities, which once more provides a detailed account of our work in this domain across the OSCE area supporting participating States and Partners for Co-operation. Strengthening the ability of law enforcement authorities to combat transnational threats whilst helping them to integrate human rights and mainstream gender issues as part of their day-to-day work are key commitments for the OSCE. The numerous examples of police-related activities presented in this report highlight the variety and breadth of activities implemented by the different OSCE structures cov- ering capacity-building measures to address threats such as cybercrime, drug-related criminality, money laundering and illicit finance, the trafficking in human beings, cultural goods, firearms and explosives, as well as terrorism.

While I am pleased that the proportional participation of women in police-related ac- tivities organized by the OSCE has remained steady at around 40 per cent of partic- ipants from 2022, it also provides us with the imperative to do more and help close the gender gap. The share of women participants is, of course, also a reflection of the structural engagement of women in the work of the police. I am glad to see that various activities presented in the report aim at increasing the share of female law enforcement officers through various activities making police careers more accessible to female applicants. I look forward to more activities that aim to increase the share of female of- ficers in the future. Overall, 53,816 individual participants benefited from police-related training activities organized by the OSCE in 2023.

So much of the crucial work in this area is carried out by OSCE field operations, which typically co-operate closely with national Ministries of the Interior and law enforcement authorities. They are acutely aware of the needs of their national and local counter- parts. This enables the OSCE to tailor activities and capacity-building efforts to the

local context, considerably enhancing their impact and sustainability. This Report pro- vides many examples of the impactful work being carried out by the field operations in this domain.

The Report clearly highlights the OSCE’s crucial role in helping law enforcement au- thorities across the OSCE area deliver better services to their citizens. It also confirms the key role of the OSCE in enabling and promoting international law enforcement co-operation. Collaboration with organizations such as INTERPOL, Europol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) maximizes the impact of OSCE activities and highlights the complementarity of the efforts undertaken by these organ- izations and the OSCE’s activities. We need to continue to co-operate, identify syner- gies and build networks to support our participating States in building a safer world.

Helga Maria Schmid OSCE Secretary General

3 Executive Summary The Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities provides a comprehensive overview of all police- related projects, events and programmes implemented by OSCE executive structures, including the thematic units in the Secretariat, and OSCE field operations and institutions. The Report is submitted in accordance with Decision 9, Paragraph 6, of the 2001 Bucharest Ministerial Council (MC) Meeting, while the activities described in this report are based on a comprehensive list of individual mandates and tasks that have been provided by various Ministerial Council (MC) and Permanent Council (PC) Decisions since 1998. A full list of all MC and PC Decisions and Action Plans that focus on police-related activities is provided in Appendix 3.

In accordance with OSCE commitments to promote gender equality stemming from the 2004 Gender Action Plan, while preparing the 2023 Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities, the Transnational Threats Department/SPMU collected disaggregated data, where data were available, on the gender composition of participants in OSCE police-related activities. The collected data show that the participation of men in OSCE police-related activities in 2023 was approximately 60 per cent, and the participation of women 40 per cent (of a total of 53,816 participants).

100

64% 60% 60% 60% 60

40% 40% 40% 40 36%

0 2020 2021 2022 2023

Female participants share Male participants share

Share of female and male participants of police-related actvities organized by the OSCE. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

6 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

1 Transnational Threats Department The Transnational Threats Department is led by the Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats. The Department works to ensure better co-ordination, strengthened coherence and more efficient use of the OSCE’s resources in addressing these challenges. It is comprised of four units – Action against Terrorism, Border Security and Management, Strategic Police Matters and the Co-ordination Cell. It also deals with cross-cutting topics, such as cyber/ICT security.

7 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

1.1 Transnational Threats Department/Strategic Police Matters Unit (TNTD/SPMU)

▶ Intelligence-led policing – What’s next?

At the end of 2023, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) Strategic Police Matters Unit (SPMU) successfully concluded the longstanding extra-budgetary (ExB) project “Building intelligence-led policing capacities on regional and national levels in the OSCE area”, marking eight years of the OSCE promoting the intelligence-led policing (ILP) model and assisting OSCE participating States in the model’s effective implementation.

The OSCE has been at the forefront of promoting this modern law enforcement practice, which encourages law enforcement authorities to move from a reactive to a proactive approach and emphasizes informed decision-making and strategic resource allocation. In 2023, with the generous financial backing and active role of Germany, the project delivered support to beneficiaries in South- Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

TNTD/SPMU collaborated with the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Albanian State Police to strengthen the country’s Criminal Analysis Directorate as part of a multi-phase capacity-building initiative on ILP and criminal intelligence analysis. As part of this initiative, analysts were trained in information cycles, criminal intelligence analysis and strategic risk assessment.

Participants in the advanced training programme on crime analysis for the Albanian State Police (left); handover ceremony of analysis software licenses with the Director of the Criminal Police Department of the Albanian State Police (right), Tirana, 26 February 2023. (OSCE/Dmytro Zhuravlyov)

8 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Kyrgyz police officers at the joint OSCE-INTERPOL training course on criminal intelligence analysis and international law enforcement co-operation, Bishkek, 20 November 2023. (OSCE/Dmytro Zhuravlyov)

TNTD/SPMU donated two analysis software licenses to ensure that the Directorate’s analysts could effectively apply their newly acquired skills. “The donation of the licenses is more than just the procurement of software; it’s a necessary support and investment in the Albanian law enforcement’s ability to address transnational threats,” said Mr. Neritan Nallbati, Head of the Criminal Police Department of the Albanian State Police. “It ensures that the Albanian State Police’s commitment to restructuring and training is matched by the tools necessary to realize the full potential of intelligence-led policing.”

Similarly, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, the ILP project supported Kyrgyzstan by providing three training courses on the ILP model and its implementation, as well as training-of-trainers (ToT) courses for the further dissemination of ILP information. The series of events culminated in a joint OSCE-INTERPOL training course on criminal intelligence analysis and international law enforcement co-operation. The joint effort provided critical knowledge and skills, and enabled national law enforcement practitioners to network with INTERPOL staff and the National Central Bureau (NCB) Bishkek.

“The event was a unique opportunity for our two organizations to join forces to pilot an activity that can pave the way for future collaboration, and a great personal experience for me to work with such engaged participants,” said Ash Smith, Coordinator, Operational Analysis, Criminal Analysis Sub- directorate, INTERPOL.

Following the conclusion of the ILP project, TNTD/SPMU has worked on a follow-up project on crime analysis aimed at further enhancing and embedding crime analysis as an integral part of policing and law enforcement culture across the OSCE area. This is part of the OSCE’s commitment to building law enforcement capacities and lending support in the fight against organized crime and other pressing transnational threats.

9 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

General police development and reform

Presentation of a comparative study of policewomen 2023 OSCE South-Eastern Europe Regional Meeting associations in the OSCE area; Vienna, Austria, and of Heads of Law Enforcement/Security Co-operation online (31 January 2023) Departments on Police-Related Activities; Skopje, North Macedonia (21–22 June 2023) TNTD co-hosted the presentation of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the The Heads of Law Enforcement/Security Co-operation De- preliminary findings of the Comparative Study of Policewom- partments of the field operations based in South-Eastern Eu- en Associations in the OSCE area. The aim of the event was rope met with TNTD representatives to discuss police-related to discuss the conditions under which policewomen’s asso- activities in the region. The meetings facilitated the exchange ciations or other networks of policewomen constitute a suc- of topical information, good practices and lessons learned cessful platform for increasing women’s representation and among TNTD and field operations in South-Eastern Europe, promoting gender equality in law enforcement, including at and also strengthened co-ordination and mutual support to middle and senior management levels. each other’s activities.

Sixth Roundtable on Police Prevention and the Fight 2023 Annual Meeting of Heads of Law Enforcement/ Against Impunity with the OSCE Representative on Security Co-operation Departments of the OSCE Freedom of the Media (RFoM); Vienna, Austria Field Operations on Police-Related Activities; (15 May 2023) Vienna, Austria (13–15 November 2023)

TNTD/SPMU participated as an expert and panelist in a The meeting facilitated an exchange of information, good roundtable on police prevention and the fight against impu- practices and lessons learned among the OSCE field oper- nity organized by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of ations and executive structures, and strengthened co-ordi- the Media (RFoM). Several external experts from Bosnia and nation and support for each other’s activities. This year, the- Herzegovina, Germany, Greece and Italy joined the round matic discussions focused on: embedding intelligence-led table and presented ways to enhance the safety and security policing in police reform processes; addressing the challeng- of media representatives, including education and training es and opportunities for policing presented by the digital age; for law enforcement in dealing with the media. To help de- and engaging and building trust with young people as part velop better working relationships between law enforcement of effective policing. The 2023 edition of this annual meeting agencies and the media, TNTD presented several options for also piloted joint regional planning sessions for the field op- tailored training activities and seminars on national laws and erations. regulations.

2023 OSCE Central Asian Regional Meeting of Combating gender-based violence Heads of Law Enforcement/Security Co-operation Departments on Police-Related Activities; Tashkent, Co-ordination and Co-operation meeting with the Uzbekistan (25–26 May 2023) Security Academy in Albania; Tirana, Albania (26 January 2023) The Heads of Law Enforcement/Security Co-operation De- partments of the OSCE field operations based in Central Asia TNTD, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, met with TNTD representatives to discuss police-related ac- organized a meeting with the leadership of the Albanian Se- tivities in the region. The topics included current and future curity Academy to review the basic and specialized training projects and their co-ordination, as well as advice and sug- curricula and materials for police officers on gender-based gestions regarding each department’s respective activities, violence, identify recommendations for improving the basic both horizontally and vertically. On the margins of the meet- and specialized training curricula for police officers on gen- ing, TNTD held discussions with the Head of the Academy of der-based violence in line with relevant national legislation the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan and international standards, and implement a national spe- and with representatives of UNODC to enhance co-operation. cialized training course for police officers.

10 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Advanced international training programme “Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence – Strengthening Agents of Change”; Vlore, Albania (16 March 2023) TNTD, at the invitation of the Swedish Police Authority, par- ticipated in an international training programme organized in co-operation with the Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation TNTD presented its project on combating gender-based vi- olence in South-Eastern Europe, as well as the experiences and good practices in implementing a related pilot project in Eastern Europe between 2018 and 2020. Meeting of the Project Advisory and Co-ordination Board; Vienna, Austria, and online (4 April 2023) TNTD convened a meeting of the Advisory and Co-ordinatio Board, which was established in 2021 as part of the above project on combating gender-based violence. The meeting gathered representatives of the OSCE Secretariat and field operations, UNFPA, UN Women, the Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the International Organizations in Vienna, and the Permanent Delegation of Finland to the OSCE. The meeting updated the Board on the progress in the project’s implementation and provided a forum for Board members to share information about their own organiza- tions’ programmes on combating gender-based violence at regional and national levels. Meeting of the Multi-Agency Committee and national trainers; Podgorica, Montenegro (12 April 2023) and Tirana, Albania (20 April 2023) In co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, TNTD/SPMU organized a meeting with the members of the Multi-Agency Committee established in Montenegro in the framework of the above project on combating gender-based violence. The meeting addressed the training and aware- ness-raising activities planned for 2023 to ensure national ownership, impact and sustainability of results. In co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, TNTD/ SPMU organized a meeting with the members of the Multi- Agency Committee in Tirana, Albania. This meeting raised the interest of the Security Academy in Albania to organize national training activities during 2023 and to institutionalize the state-of-the-art curriculum on gender-responsive ing of violence against women and girls jointly developed in 2022 by the OSCE’s Secretariat TNTD and Gender Issues Programme as well as ODIHR. National specialized training courses on gender– responsive policing of violence against women and girls (VAWG); Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (24–28 April 2023); Bar, Montenegro (12–16 June 2023); Popova Šapka, North Macedonia (16–20 October 2023); Riviera Golem, Albania (13–17 October 2023); Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia (27 November–1 December 2023) (Sweden). In co-operation with the local OSCE field operations, TNTD/ SPMU organized a series of training courses for police officers and prosecutors, during which they learned how to effectively respond to cases of violence against women and girls using a victim-and survivor-centred approach. The course covered topics such as causes and cycles of violence, violence pre- vention, harmful biases, attitudes and stereotypes, risk as- sessment, victim and survivor protection protocols, referral mechanisms and interagency co-operation. n Meeting of the Multi-Agency Committee and national trainers; Skopje, North Macedonia (22 May 2023) TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Skopje, organized a meeting with the members of the Multi-Agency Committee established in the framework of the project in North Macedonia to discuss the training and awareness-raising activities planned for 2023 in order to en- sure national ownership, impact and sustainability of results. Meetings with governmental representatives on gender-based violence; Belgrade, Serbia (28–30 August 2023) TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Ser- bia, organized a series of meetings with representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Ministry of Justice, the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies, the Judicial Academy and the Coordination Body for Gen- der Equality to discuss the implementation of the project on combating gender-based violence in South-Eastern Europe. JUSTICE Roundtables on Reporting on Gender- based Violence: A Victim/Survivor-centred Approach; Belgrade, Serbia (4 December 2023); Podgorica, Montenegro (7 December 2023); Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (12 December 2023); Skopje, North Macedonia (15 December 2023) polic- In co-ordination with the local OSCE field operations, TNTD/ SPMU organized a series of events aimed at promoting the principles of gender-sensitive and victim/survivor-centred ap-

11 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

proaches to reporting on gender-based violence (GBV). The Support to the law enforcement roundtable brought together police officers and prosecutors, agencies in Moldova judicial professionals, journalists and editors, legal experts, gender advocates, representatives of NGOs working on GBV issues, academics and researchers. The roundtables served Needs assessment visit on airport security at as a forum for a discussion of relevant considerations and Chișinău International Airport; Chișinău, Moldova challenges, while facilitating an exchange of good practices (18–21 April 2023) and recommendations. TNTD/SPMU conducted a comprehensive needs assess- ment of airport security at Chișinău International Airport. The Intelligence-led policing (ILP) in-depth Needs Assessment Report on Airport Security in the Republic of Moldova, which stemmed from the visit, details Training-of-trainers course on intelligence-led the legal framework of civil aviation in Moldova and identifies policing; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (19–21 July 2023) specific needs. These include the setup of several structures, including one to co-ordinate missions, to set procedures TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the Ministry of Internal Af- and to ensure quality control in airport security, as well as a fairs of Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE Programme Office in Bish- technical department responsible for compliance, risk analy- kek, conducted a training course introducing participants to sis, equipment maintenance and emergency response. The key concepts of intelligence-led policing (ILP), the role of hu- report’s recommendations aim to improve training, staffing, man rights in policing and their relationship with the criminal co-ordination, equipment evaluation and personnel motiva- intelligence cycle, and strategic and operational analysis. The tion within the aeronautic security structure, promoting com- combination of presentations on a wide range of topics with pliance with standards and mitigating vulnerabilities in airport elements of participatory learning enabled participants to de- security. This assessment was undertaken jointly by TNTD/ velop a deeper understanding of ILP and related concepts. SPMU and TNTD/Border Security Management Unit (BSMU).

Joint OSCE-INTERPOL training course on criminal Facilitation of a simulation exercise on severe intelligence analysis; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan incidents at airports; Bucharest, Romania (20–24 November 2023) (3–4 May 2023)

In co-operation with INTERPOL, the OSCE Programme TNTD/SPMU facilitated a simulation exercise organized by Office in Bishkek, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyr- AIRPOL at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport. gyzstan, TNTD/SPMU conducted a joint OSCE-INTERPOL The event consisted of a tabletop exercise and practical sim- training course for law enforcement officers from the Min- ulations on airport security, and gathered representatives of istry of Internal Affairs. The course presented internation- the airport security sector, law enforcement agencies, emer- al good practices in the implementation of ILP and cross- gency services, as well as medical professionals and airline border co-operation. The activity built on two previous train- representatives. The participation of Moldovan border police ing courses on ILP in Kyrgyzstan. officers in the exercise equipped them with new tools and practical knowledge on airport security, highlighting the add- Training course on ILP; Tirana, Albania ed value of international law enforcement co-operation. (11–22 December 2023) Working meeting with Moldovan border and law TNTD/SPMU and the OSCE Presence in Albania delivered enforcement agencies; Chișinău, Moldova a training programme for junior analysts from the Albanian (27 July 2023) State Police Intelligence and Criminal Archives Directorate. The analysts learned about the OSCE ILP model and basics TNTD/SPMU presented the findings and recommendations of criminal intelligence analysis, focusing on the practical ap- included in the above needs assessment and discussed with plication of a wide range of analytical tools. the Moldovan counterparts the support it could provide in revising the procedural, organizational, operational and infra- structural capacities of the border police and other Moldovan authorities related to airport security in Moldova.

12 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

AIRPOL working meeting with Moldovan border and Police Inspectorate, a high-level event attended by Moldo- law enforcement agencies; Chișinău, Moldova va’s President and Minister of Internal Affairs. TNTD/SPMU (30 October 2023) also met with the senior leadership of the General Police In- spectorate in an effort to identify and co-ordinate the further During a working meeting with the leadership of AIRPOL and technical assistance and support to be provided by TNTD to Moldovan border and law enforcement agencies in Chișinău, the Moldovan General Police Inspectorate. Moldova, participants discussed the logistical arrangements associated with organizing a training course on behaviour Official handover of technical equipment to the detection at Chișinău International Airport. The visit allowed Moldovan General Police Inspectorate; Chișinău, the AIRPOL experts to learn about the expectations of the Moldova (19 December 2023) Moldovan counterparts, familiarize themselves with the infra- structure of Chișinău International Airport, and subsequently TNTD/SPMU handed over technical equipment and soft- develop a tailor-made training course for Moldovan authori- ware to strengthen the Moldovan General Police Inspector- ties that fully meets the needs of all actors involved in airport ate’s data and crime analysis capabilities. Analysts from the security in Moldova. General Police Inspectorate will be trained in the use of the equipment and software during the next phase of the project National Police Day conference “Navigating Hybrid implementation. Threats and Recruiting Excellence in the Police”, Chișinău, Moldova (18 December 2023)

At the invitation of the General Police Inspectorate of the Min- istry of Internal Affairs of Moldova, TNTD/SPMU participated in a conference to mark the 33rd anniversary of the General

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Presentation on gender and organized crime at the ly highlighted the need to focus on TOC prevention activities EU Horizontal Working Party on Drugs; Brussels, with youth, due to their particular vulnerability to TOC. Partic- Belgium (8 February 2023) ipants also emphasized the lack of regional practitioner plat- forms and networks for dialogue and information exchange At the invitation of the Swedish Presidency of the Coun- in the field of TOC. cil of the EU, TNTD/SPMU participated in the above event and presented preliminary findings of the OSCE report Un- Participation in the UN informal expert group derstanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime to the meeting on the UNODC Toolkit on Mainstreaming EU Member States, the European Commission, the Euro- Gender and Human Rights in the Implementation of pean Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, and United Nations Convention against Transnational Europol. Organized Crime; Vienna, Austria (27–29 March 2023) Participation in the UNODC multiple–stakeholder event on strategies to prevent and combat TNTD/SPMU commented on the draft Toolkit and present- organized crime; Tashkent, Uzbekistan ed the OSCE report Understanding the Role of Women in (9–10 March 2023) Organized Crime. The UNODC Toolkit aims to assist EU Member States to review national legislation, policies and TNTD/SPMU participated in the above event and presented strategies against organized crime from a gender and human the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to transnational or- rights perspective. ganized crime (TOC). Discussions among practitioners clear-

13 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Needs assessment visit to Moldova (youth crime and to increase youth participation in decision-making process- drug prevention); Chișinău, Moldova es and how to strengthen youth crime prevention and youth (27 February–3 March 2023) resilience towards security. TNTD’s presentation focused on these topics and how the OSCE supports participating TNTD/SPMU conducted a needs assessment visit to Moldo- States in addressing these challenges through education va focusing on youth crime and drug prevention, in co-op- on legality and the development of life skills, as well as by eration with the OSCE Office of the Co-ordinator of Eco- supporting gender-inclusive crime prevention and exit pro- nomic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and Terre des grammes. Hommes Moldova. OSCE officials met with representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General’s Of- International congress on combating clan crime fice, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labour and Social 2023; Düsseldorf, Germany (30 October 2023) Protection, the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ministry of Educa- tion and Research, the National Anti-Corruption Agency, the TNTD/SPMU delivered a keynote presentation on the role Ministry of Health and the Chișinău Youth Centre. of women in organized crime. The congress gathered ex- perts on organized and clan crime from Europol, academ- Needs assessment visit to Moldova (support to law ia, and law enforcement from Austria, Denmark, Germany, enforcement agencies); Chișinău, Moldova the Netherlands and Sweden. TNTD/SPMU highlighted the (12–17 March 2023) preliminary findings of the OSCE report Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime, specifically showcasing TNTD/SPMU carried out a needs assessment visit to Mol- how women are recruited into organized crime, what roles dova, in co-operation with the OSCE’s Conflict Prevention they play within these groups, and how and why they leave Centre (CPC) and the OSCE Mission to Moldova. During the criminality. visit, OSCE officials met with the Head of the Moldovan Gen- eral Police Inspectorate and representatives of the General “Future of AML: Building Resilience in the Evolving Inspectorate of Border Police, as well as with several directo- Financial Crime Environment” conference; Riga, rates and sub-divisions responsible for intelligence analysis, Latvia (7 November 2023) operational management, public order and security, criminal investigation, canine support and anti-corruption. In addition At the invitation of the Latvian Presidency of the Committee to assessing the capacities of these entities, a field visit to of Ministers of the Council of Europe, TNTD/SPMU partici- a regional police inspectorate, a visit to the special “Fulger” pated in a panel discussion with the Directorate-General for police brigade, and practical demonstrations of police work Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), the Latvian Financial were organized. Intelligence Unit and international experts at the above con- ference. The title of the panel discussion was “Strengthening Side event on a whole–of–society approach to youth the Global Framework of Asset Recovery and its Efficacy”. crime prevention; Vienna, Austria, and online TNTD/SPMU presented the OSCE’s asset recovery work in (23 May 2023) South-Eastern Europe.

TNTD/SPMU hosted a side event on promoting a whole-of- Launch of the OSCE assessment report society approach to youth crime prevention on the margins of Understanding the Role of Women in Organized the 32nd session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Crime; Vienna, Austria, and online Prevention and Criminal Justice. The event was organized in (13 December 2023) co-operation with the Permanent Missions of Germany and Italy to the OSCE. It explored how to develop and deliver a TNTD/SPMU, organized a launch event to present the main multi-stakeholder approach to youth crime prevention, as well findings and recommendations of the OSCE assessment re- as methodologies to provide platforms to young people to port Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime, discuss the challenges and vulnerabilities they face. which focuses on how women are recruited to organized crime groups, their roles within them, and how and why they UN Youth Conference at the German Federal exit these groups. The event brought together members of Foreign Office; Berlin, Germany (15 June 2023) OSCE participating State delegations based in Vienna, pol- icymakers, practitioners and civil society organizations that At the invitation of the German Federal Foreign Office, TNTD/ contributed data to the assessment report, international or- SPMU participated in a panel discussion focusing on how ganizations and the media.

14 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Regional workshop on fostering a holistic Second round of criminal justice practitioners understanding of organized crime actors to enhance enrolled in the certified anti-money laundering disruption and prevention efforts; Tashkent, specialist course in South-Eastern Europe; online Uzbekistan (18–19 December 2023) (throughout 2023)

In co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uz- TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA launched a second round of bekistan, TNTD/SPMU organized the above workshop to the training and mentoring course to assist law enforcement present and discuss the findings of the OSCE assessment and criminal justice professionals from Albania, Bosnia and report Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia to become in the context of Central Asia. The event brought together certified anti-money laundering specialists. The course pro- representatives of the Ministries of Internal Affairs of Ka- vided the practitioners with highly technical skills to apply zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbeki- in their daily work, increasing the capacity of relevant insti- stan. The workshop further showcased good practices from tutions to investigate complex financial transactions, fraud across the OSCE area on gender-sensitive organized crime schemes, money laundering and corruption cases. prevention initiatives, and facilitated a regional dialogue on emerging trends and challenges in light of security develop- Study exchange on asset recovery between Serbia ments in Afghanistan and their effect on organized crime and and Germany; Wiesbaden, Germany its actors, including women, across Central Asia. (24–25 February 2023)

TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA facilitated a study exchange Asset recovery with the German Federal Criminal Police Office in Wiesbaden for participants from the Serbian Prosecutor’s Office for Or- Certified anti-money laundering specialist training ganized Crime and the Belgrade High Court. The participants and mentoring course in South-Eastern Europe; exchanged experiences and operational information on as- online (throughout 2023) set recovery cases, especially cross-border ones, involving tracing, seizure and confiscation of criminal assets located in During the reporting period, TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA foreign jurisdictions. organized two thematic training courses entitled “Risks and Methods of Money Laundering” and “International AML/ Third national workshop on the social re-use of CFT Standards”. The courses were part of the mentoring confiscated assets; Belgrade, Serbia and training course supporting criminal justice practitioners (24 January 2023) to become certified anti-money laundering specialists. The learning material on which the training courses are based, as TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA organized a workshop for well as the final certification, were provided by the Associa- representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Justice, the Re- tion of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists. public Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime, the Directorate for the Administration of Partnership with the Basel Institute on Governance Seized Assets, the German Agency for International Coop- on asset recovery (throughout 2023) eration, the Council of Europe, the European External Action Service, the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA launched an Implementing Crime, civil society organizations (CSOs) and the OSCE Mis- Partnership Agreement with the Basel Institute on Govern- sion to Serbia. The workshop provided a platform to discuss ance. The Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset the key legislative and practical challenges in Serbia for the Recovery worked with TNTD and the OCEEA to conduct a social re-use of criminal assets. One of the main challeng- needs assessment on the challenges and gaps that institu- es that was highlighted is the lack of procedures for CSOs tions in Ukraine in particular face in recovering criminal as- to apply for and receive assets for social re-use purposes. sets. The Basel Institute developed a study on good prac- Participants also discussed the importance of enhancing the tices in asset seizure and confiscation in the OSCE area, co-operation between civil society and governmental institu- providing participating States with an overview of good and tions throughout the asset recovery process, especially in the innovative practices in this area. social re-use phase.

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Ninth meeting of the Permanent Conference of covery for criminal justice practitioners from Albania, Bosnia Organized Crime Prosecutors; Belgrade, Serbia, and and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ser- online (23–34 February 2023) bia. The training course contributed to enhancing knowledge of effective financial investigations, tracing and seizing illegal TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA facilitated a meeting for pros- assets, as well as preventive anti-money laundering systems ecutors from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, and good practices in cross-border co-operation. Through Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Mac- case studies, the training course highlighted the importance edonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. They discussed how of depriving organized crime groups of their illicit profits in to ensure that their responses keep pace with evolving and order to disrupt criminal operations. highly adaptable criminal operations, highlighting how infor- mal co-operation mechanisms can facilitate and streamline Roundtable on the importance of inter-institutional the exchange of information and contribute to the shared co-ordination and collaboration in the management goal of combating transnational organized crime. of sequestered and confiscated assets; online (8 May 2023) Concluding national workshop on the social re- use of confiscated assets; Sarajevo, Bosnia and TNTD participated in a roundtable organized by the OSCE Herzegovina, and online (28 February 2023) Mission in Kosovo and contributed to the session on social re-use of assets confiscated from organized crime and cor- The above workshop, organized by TNTD/SPMU and the ruption, highlighting why this practice is an important pillar of OCEEA, gathered representatives of the Ministries of Justice the fight against crime. of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia and Her- zegovina and Republika Srpska, the Federal Agency for the Support for the Balkan Asset Management Management of Seized Property and the Ministry of Finance Interagency Network (BAMIN) (11 May 2023) of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the agency for Management of Seized Property of Republika Srpska, CSOs, TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA signed an Implementing Part- the Embassy of Italy in Sarajevo, and the OSCE Mission to ner Agreement with the Italian-based non-profit organization Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the workshop, the OSCE Fondazione Safe to continue supporting the Balkan Asset presented the “Guidelines on Re-use of Proceeds of Crime Management Interagency Network (BAMIN) – a network of in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, which were developed in 2022. asset management offices bringing together 21 jurisdictions. The Guidelines provide an overview of the legal framework Following the signing of the agreement, the Network’s de- of that country for the social re-use of confiscated assets, cision-making body, the Steering Committee Group (com- institutional capacities to implement re-use practices, relevant prising Croatia, Moldova and Montenegro), convened in international standards, and examples from other countries. Chișinău, Moldova, on 30 and 31 May to discuss the strate- gic direction of the Network. On that occasion, the Moldovan Third regional workshop on the social re-use of National Anti-Corruption Centre’s Criminal Assets Recovery criminal assets; Vienna, Austria, and online Agency took over the presidency of BAMIN (previously held (23–24 March 2023) by Montenegro). BAMIN is the only existing informal network that promotes co-operation and experience sharing among TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA convened the workshop for par- asset management agencies. Co-operation builds their ca- ticipants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, pacity to manage criminal assets in a cost-effective manner. North Macedonia and Serbia to facilitate a dialogue among representatives of CSOs and asset management agencies, Needs assessment visit; Chișinău, Moldova, and to strengthen their co-operation in establishing procedures (15–17 May 2023) for social re-use of confiscated criminal assets. The workshop also provided an opportunity for an exchange of experienc- TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA conducted a needs assess- es and good practices among participants and experts from ment visit to Moldova, engaging with relevant institutions on France, Romania and Spain, who elaborated on the current the obstacles they face in the process of seizing, confiscating rules regulating social re-use mechanisms in their countries. and managing criminal assets. The visit consisted of discus- sions with representatives of Moldova’s National Anti-Cor- Training course on asset recovery with the Guardia ruption Centre, Criminal Asset Recovery Agency, Ministry of di Finanza; Rome, Italy (26–28 April 2023) Internal Affairs, Prosecutor General’s Office, Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Organized Crime and Special Cases TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in co-operation with the Italian Prosecutor’s Office, and Prevention and Combating Money Guardia di Finanza, delivered a training course on asset re- Laundering Service.

16 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Discussions on asset recovery with stakeholders; Training course on pre–seizure planning in asset Skopje, North Macedonia (20–22 June 2023) recovery; Skopje, North Macedonia (26–27 September 2023) TNTD/SPMU held meetings with some of the beneficiaries of the asset recovery project in North Macedonia. Jointly In partnership with the Agency for Management of Seized with the OSCE Mission to Skopje, discussions on current and Confiscated Property in North Macedonia, TNTD/SPMU developments and obstacles in asset recovery were held and the OCEEA organized a multi-agency training course with the Agency for Management of Seized and Confiscat- on effective planning and co-ordination prior to the seizure ed Property in North Macedonia, Academy for Judges and of criminal assets. The training course gathered practition- Public Prosecutors and National Commission for Monitor- ers from North Macedonia’s Directorate for Financial Intelli- ing the National Strategy for Financial Investigations and gence and Directorate for Financial Police within the Ministry Confiscation, as well as a representative of the Fair for All of Finance, its Organized Crime Department within the Po- Trials CSO. lice, its Agency for Management of Seized and Confiscated Property, its Public Prosecutor’s Office and its court system. Fourth technical assistance providers co-ordination Through practical and theoretical sessions focusing on differ- meeting; online (27 June 2023) ent types of assets (real estate, vehicles, digital currencies), practitioners discussed gaps in the national legal framework, TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA attended a meeting of do- enhanced their knowledge of existing good practices and nors that support government institutions and agencies in recommended procedures facilitating cross-agency co-ordi- South-Eastern Europe in advancing asset recovery efforts, nation and collaboration. both domestically and internationally, particularly in the area of financial investigations (asset tracing), freezing and seiz- European Week of Regions and Cities; Brussels, ing, asset management, confiscation and forfeiture, interna- Belgium (10 October 2023) tional co-operation, asset disposal, including re-use, and the collection of asset recovery statistics. The objective of the At the invitation of the Italian CSO “Libera – Associazioni, meeting was to share information about current and future nomi e numeri contro le mafie”, TNTD/SPMU contributed to planned asset recovery projects and activities in order to the session “Youth Enterprises in Re-used Assets: a New identify gaps in assistance, avoid duplication of efforts, and Model for Local and Sustainable Development” at the Euro- promote co-operation where possible. pean Week of Regions and Cities. TNTD/SPMU presented its ongoing work on supporting civil society organizations Balkan Asset Management Interagency Network in the fight against organized crime, including awareness- (BAMIN): Steering Group Meeting, Annual General raising and capacity-building efforts to strengthen co-opera- Meeting and training course; Chișinău, Moldova tion between civil society organizations and state institutions (19, 22–23 September 2023) in the re-use of criminal confiscated assets.

TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA facilitated the Steering Group Workshop on cross-border asset recovery; Chișinău, Meeting of the Asset Management Agencies of Croatia, Mol- Moldova (24–26 October 2023) dova and Montenegro to discuss the strategic priorities of BAMIN until the end of 2023 and the Moldovan Presidency The above workshop gathered practitioners from the Mol- in 2024. The meeting was followed by the Annual General dovan Criminal Asset Recovery Agency, Prosecutor’s Office Meeting, attended by representatives of 22 jurisdictions from for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, Gen- across the OSCE area, who discussed how to strengthen eral Police Inspectorate, Ministry of Justice, Anti-Corruption the cross-border management of criminal assets, the main Prosecutor’s Office, and the Chișinău City Prosecutor’s Of- challenges they face in this process, and existing success- fice. The instructional and practical sessions enhanced the ful cases. On 22 and 23 September, the Asset Management knowledge of the participants of national and international Agencies were joined by police officers and prosecutors for avenues for the return of assets, obligations under the United the training course “Achieving Success in the Cross-Border Nations Convention against Corruption, and effective mutual Management of Criminal Assets”. The multidisciplinary training legal assistance. The workshop also provided a forum for course involved practitioners from different jurisdictions work- practitioners to network, share good practices and identify ing on a money laundering case scenario involving illicit assets. institutional barriers to cross-border asset recovery.

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OSCE Chairpersonship’s regional conference on Ministry of Justice, Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Su- combating corruption, money laundering and asset perior Council of Magistrates and State Tax Service. The dis- recovery efforts in South-Eastern Europe; Skopje, cussions aimed to address challenges to and highlight good North Macedonia (31 October 2023) practices in the domestic management of assets throughout the asset recovery process. The 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia host- ed the regional conference on combating corruption and money laundering, and facilitating asset recovery efforts Cybercrime in South-Eastern Europe. The conference was organized in co-operation with and with the support of TNTD/SPMU OSCE e-learning courses on open-source and the OCEEA. The one-day conference brought together intelligence (OSINT) and online investigations; government representatives, judges, prosecutors and law- (throughout 2023) enforcement officials from OSCE participating States across South-Eastern Europe, as well as experts from civil socie- As part of its role to support OSCE participating States to ty and academia. The first session of the conference invited combat cybercrime effectively, TNTD/SPMU started to de- speakers to exchange their experiences and lessons learned velop a new online training course on OSINT and online in- on asset recovery mechanisms in the region. It was followed vestigations. The course covers three different levels: intro- by a session on emerging risks in cryptocurrency-driven ductory, intermediate and advanced. The course is offered money laundering and how to counter them, as well as a to TNTD/SPMU key partners in its capacity-building efforts side event on the use of open data and the role of civil society to combat cybercrime, such as the European Cybercrime in preventing corruption in the region. Training and Education Group (ECTEG), CEPOL, INTERPOL and UNODC. Advanced regional workshop on asset recovery in South-Eastern Europe; Dubrovnik, Croatia TNTD/SPMU organized an expert workshop, held in Vienna, (7–11 November 2023) Austria, from 2 to 4 August 2023, to review the draft training materials prepared for the introductory level of a new OSCE TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in partnership with the Of- online training course on OSINT and online investigations. fice of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance Participants included law enforcement experts from CEPOL, and Training of the United States Department of Justice, or- Europol, INTERPOL, the ECTEG, as well as selected OSCE ganized the above event for judges and prosecutors from participating States. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The workshop provided the The course consists of ten modules and is currently available practitioners with expert-level knowledge and skills in the in English. The course material can be deployed in all major area of illicit asset seizure and confiscation. It also provided e-learning management systems. The material, restricted to case study examples related to legislation and practices, as law enforcement, can be made available to relevant institu- well as hands-on experience with different types of criminal tions, such as law enforcement educational bodies. assets. The workshop facilitated regional co-operation not only by bringing together practitioners from across the re- National training course on handling digital evidence gion, but also by including representatives of the Permanent by first responders; Almaty, Kazakhstan Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors (PCOCP) as (30 January–3 February 2023) beneficiaries of the capacity-building event. The PCOCP is an informal network of prosecutors supported by the project In co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Astana that facilitates cross-border co-operation in fighting organ- and the Almaty Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, ized crime and corruption. TNTD/SPMU conducted a training course on handling dig- ital evidence by first responders for law enforcement repre- Workshop on the management of confiscated sentatives, including operational staff of the Kazakhstan’s businesses, complex real estate, securities and Ministry of Internal Affairs units from Astana, Almaty and other financial instruments; Chișinău, Moldova Taldykorgan, as well as lecturers from the Ministry of Inter- (7–10 November 2023) nal Affairs Academies in Almaty and Karaganda, and the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s The above workshop brought together participants from Office. Participants learned how to identify, seize and se- Moldova’s Criminal Asset Recovery Agency, Prosecutor’s cure potential sources of digital evidence at a crime scene, Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, how to use open-source forensic tools for first responders, the Prosecutor General’s Office, General Police Inspectorate, and how to conduct basic live data forensics and deal with

18 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

volatile data. They were also introduced to the basics of ticipants were introduced to key concepts regarding cyber- computer networking, online open-source investigations crime, digital evidence and digital forensics. and anonymity on the internet. Webinar on malware and ransomware for the Participation in the International Summit on Youth Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the and Cybercrime; Valencia, Spain (1 March 2023) Republic of Uzbekistan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and online (1 June 2023) TNTD/SPMU participated in the above event, hosted by the local police of Valencia. The summit brought together rep- In co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uz- resentatives of consortia implementing EU-funded projects, bekistan, TNTD/SPMU organized a webinar for cadets and including local and national police authorities, as well as rep- lecturers of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs resentatives of the European Commission, academia and the of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The event was a private sector. TNTD/SPMU contributed to the panel discus- continuation of the webinar series launched in 2022 to raise sion on addressing cyber criminality from the policy-making awareness of key trends and developments in contemporary and capacity-building perspectives. policing among students and staff of the Academy. Partic- ipants were introduced to key concepts and trends related Presentation at the Fourth Intersessional to malware and ransomware, and then were presented with Consultation of the UN Ad Hoc Committee two practical case studies of malware and ransomware in- to Elaborate a Comprehensive International vestigations. Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal National introductory training course on cybercrime Purposes; Vienna, Austria (6–7 March 2023) and digital evidence; Dushanbe, Tajikistan (5–9 June 2023) TNTD/SPMU participated in the above event in the panel “Technical Assistance: Setting Priorities for the Delivery of Tech- TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Programme nical Assistance, in Particular to Developing Countries”. The Office in Dushanbe, delivered an introductory training course panel presentation showcased the OSCE’s experience in tai- on cybercrime and digital evidence at the Academy of the loring capacity-building activities to the needs of stakeholders, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan. The ensuring the sustainability of such activities, as well as gender course was completed by representatives from the Ministry mainstreaming throughout technical assistance activities. of Internal Affairs, the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Af- fairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Regional co-ordination meeting; Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and online (9–10 March 2023) Joint OSCe-UNODC introductory national training course on cryptocurrencies and digital evidence in TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co- darknet investigations; Kosshy, Kazakhstan ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized the second regional co- (19–23 June 2023) ordination meeting dedicated to the topic of cybercrime ed- ucation and digital evidence for criminal justice practitioners In co-operation with UNODC and the OSCE Programme Of- in Central Asia. Participants discussed possible approaches fice in Astana, TNTD/SPMU delivered an introductory training and methods to improve the training of police officers and course on cryptocurrencies and darknet investigations at the prosecutors in Central Asia on cybercrime and digital evi- Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor Gener- dence. al’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The participants learned about main concepts and key trends in the areas National introductory training course on cybercrime of anonymity and encryption, cryptocurrencies, obfuscation and digital evidence; Ashgabat, Turkmenistan techniques and the darknet. (9–12 May 2023) Assessment visit on the establishment of a cybercrime In co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, TNTD/ database; Yerevan, Armenia (3–4 July 2023) SPMU delivered an introductory training course on cy- bercrime and digital evidence at the Police Institute of the TNTD/SPMU conducted an assessment visit to Armenia on the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan. The course was establishment of a national cybercrime database. The assess- attended by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Af- ment team met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Af- fairs, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Cybersecurity fairs, the Ministry of Hi-Tech Industry, the Ministry of Justice, the Department of the Turkmenaragatnashyk Agency. The par- Office of the Prosecutor General, the Investigative Committee,

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the police, the National Security Service, the State Revenue the darknet criminal landscape, and approaches to conduct- Committee, the Financial Monitoring Centre at the Central ing searches and investigations on the darknet. Bank, and the Government Interoperability Platform EKENG. Launch of the OSCE training guide “Ensuring Human National introductory training course on digital Rights Compliance in Cybercrime Investigations”, forensics; Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Vienna, Austria, and online (15 November 2023) (19–22 September, 6–11 November 2023) TNTD/SPMU launched a new training guide on human rights TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Ash- compliance in cybercrime investigations. The guide aims to gabat, organized an introductory training course on digital fo- raise awareness among criminal justice practitioners of the rensics at the Police Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of implications that the investigations of cybercrimes and other Turkmenistan. The course was attended by representatives of crimes involving electronic evidence can have for human rights, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and to support practitioners in upholding human rights in their and the Cybersecurity Department of the Turkmenaragatnashyk daily investigative work. The launch event included speakers Agency. The participants were introduced to key concepts and from the OSCE, the Council of Europe, and criminal justice various open-source tools in the field of digital forensics. The institutions from Germany and Slovenia. They discussed some first part of the course focused on general technical concepts of the particular challenges posed for human rights in inves- and methods in digital forensics. The second part, delivered to tigations of cybercrimes and other crimes involving electronic the same groups of participants, was dedicated to more specif- evidence, as well as what good practices already exist for up- ic topics, such as file systems, databases, Windows registries, holding human rights in such investigations. log file analysis and mobile devices. Regional workshop on strengthening professional Webinar on online payment fraud for the Academy of development in cybercrime investigations; Tashkent, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan (21–22 November 2023) Uzbekistan, and online (28 September 2023) TNTD/SPMU organized a regional workshop to discuss TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co- good practices in training criminal justice practitioners on ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized the sixth webinar in Tash- the investigation of cybercrimes and other crimes involving kent for cadets and lecturers of the Academy of the Ministry electronic evidence. The event brought together senior rep- of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan. The event was a continua- resentatives of all the major law enforcement educational in- tion of the webinar series launched in 2022 to raise aware- stitutions and the OSCE field operations in Central Asia. The ness of key trends and developments in contemporary polic- participants discussed professional development of police ing among students and staff of the Academy. The webinar officers and prosecutors, adaptation and modernization of was attended by 80 cadets and lecturers and included guest training and educational programmes, integration of e-learn- speakers from Mastercard as well as INTERPOL’s Financial ing, and strategic approaches to identifying needs and prior- Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre. Participants were intro- ities for further training and education in this field of criminal duced to various forms of online payment fraud, key trends justice practitioners across Central Asia. in this field and the main challenges this type of crime poses to criminal justice systems. Lecture on cryptocurrency-related crimes at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of National introductory training course on Uzbekistan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan cryptocurrencies and darknet investigations; (23 November 2023) Dushanbe, Tajikistan (16–20 October 2023) TNTD/SPMU and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbek- In co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushan- istan organized the above lecture. During the event, cadets be, TNTD/SPMU organized an introductory training course on and lecturers from the Academy were briefed about concepts cryptocurrencies and darknet investigations for representa- and mechanisms related to cryptocurrencies and their trans- tives of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, Academy of the actions, the role cryptocurrencies can play in facilitating crime, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Prosecutor General’s Office. The methods and approaches for investigating related crimes, first part of the course introduced participants to concepts re- and trends in the evolution of the cryptocurrency market in lated to blockchains and cryptocurrencies, and enabled them Uzbekistan and the rest of Central Asia. The event was the to practice profiling, tracing and seizing cryptocurrencies. The culmination of a webinar series on trends in contemporary po- second part of the course was dedicated to the functioning of licing launched in the autumn of 2022. In total, TNTD/SPMU The Onion Router (TOR) network and the darknet, features of delivered seven webinars on a wide range of topics, including

20 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes, cy- 32nd Session of the UN Commission on Crime bercrime and cyber-enabled crime, intelligence-led policing, Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ); Vienna, gender-based violence, malware and ransomware, online Austria (7–8 December 2023) payment frauds and the darknet criminal landscape. TNTD/SPMU represented the OSCE as an observer at National introductory training course on cybercrime the reconvened 32nd session of the CCPCJ. Meetings in and digital evidence; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan the margins of the event focused on crime prevention and (6–8 December 2023) criminal justice, including the prevention of organized crime, corruption, terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and In co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, other forms of crime. TNTD/SPMU supported the State Committee of National Se- curity of Kyrgyzstan in delivering an introductory training course 17th Paris Pact Policy Consultative Group Meeting on cybercrime and digital evidence to representatives of the of the Paris Pact Partnership to Combat Illicit Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office Traffic in Opiates Originating in Afghanistan; Vienna, of Kyrgyzstan. The participants learned about key features of Austria (11–12 December 2023) cybercrime and digital evidence, sources of digital evidence, approaches for searching and seizure of digital evidence at a TNTD/SPMU participated in the above meeting and con- crime scene, and basics of conducting online investigations. tributed to the review and adoption of the operational rec- ommendations that resulted from previous expert working The Octopus Conference “Cooperation on group meetings held in 2023. Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence”; Bucharest, Romania (13–15 December 2023) Youth crime and drug use prevention TNTD/SPMU participated in the Octopus Conference organ- ized by the Cybercrime Division of the Council of Europe and Seminar for higher education institutions to present contributed to the workshop “Capacity-Building as a Game the OSCE-developed “Crime Prevention and Culture Changer”, presenting good practices and lessons learned of Lawfulness” curriculum; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from the OSCE’s capacity-building activities on cybercrime. (16 May 2023)

The curriculum on youth crime prevention, developed within Illicit drugs and chemical the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed precursors between the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the Govern- ment of Kyrgyzstan, was presented by TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA in April 2022. The curriculum was introduced First and second intersessional meetings in at least 15 universities countrywide in the academic year of the 66th Session of the Commission on 2023/2024, reaching more than 1,000 students. Narcotic Drugs; Vienna, Austria (23–25 October, 4–6 December 2023) Multi-stakeholder event to present and discuss the findings of the OSCE needs assessment on youth TNTD/SPMU participated in the above meetings as an ob- crime prevention; Chișinău, Moldova (25 May 2023) server, and contributed to the thematic discussion on links between drug trafficking, corruption and other forms of or- TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in co-operation with imple- ganized crime, and made a statement on the programmatic menting partner Terre des Hommes Moldova, presented projects currently underway in the OSCE area. the findings of the OSCE needs assessment on youth crime prevention in the country to representatives of the Moldovan Paris Pact Initiative’s expert working group meeting on Ministry of Internal Affairs, Prosecutor General’s Office, Minis- early prevention of drug use and drug use disorders try of Justice, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Om- in support of Pillar IV of the Vienna Declaration; budsman Office, Ministry of Education and Research, Nation- Samarkand, Uzbekistan online (1–2 November 2023) al Anti-Corruption Agency, and Ministry of Health, alongside academia, local administrations, civil society and young peo- TNTD/SPMU participated in the Paris Pact Initiative’s expert ple. Participants discussed current challenges concerning working group meeting on early prevention of drug use and youth criminality, exchanged information about their capacity- drug use disorders in support of the Pillar IV of the Vienna building needs and learned about good practices from the Declaration and contributed to the final recommendations. German youth crime prevention initiative “Kurve Kriegen”.

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Regional Multi-stakeholder event on strengthening Study visit to “Kurve Kriegen”; Düsseldorf, Germany youth resilience to organized crime and corruption; (27–28 June 2023) Skopje, North Macedonia (6–7 June 2023) TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA organized a study visit for a In co-operation with the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of delegation of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs to the North Macedonia and the Global Initiative against Transna- leading youth crime prevention initiative in Germany, “Kurve tional Organized Crime, TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA held Kriegen”. The visit allowed Kyrgyz practitioners to learn the above event, which gathered representatives of sever- about good practices on how to promote a culture of lawful- al Ministries, including of the interior, justice and Education, ness and integrity among young people, and how to prevent ombudsman offices and anti-corruption agencies of Albania, at-risk youth from getting involved in illegal and corrupt activ- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and ities, in particular by strengthening early identification. Serbia, alongside academia, civil society and young people from the region engaged in the topic. Central Asia Youth Dialogue Forum on rule of law, integrity and crime prevention; Almaty, Kazakhstan Launch of an awareness-raising campaign to prevent (17–21 July 2023) youth involvement in organized crime, corruption and drug use in Kyrgyzstan; online (19 June 2023) TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, hosted the Central TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in co-operation with the Asia Youth Dialogue Forum for young people from Kazakh- OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the OSCE Programme Of- stan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to fice in Bishkek, launched an awareness-raising campaign strengthen confidence and trust among youth in the region. to prevent youth involvement in organized crime, corrup- The event served as a platform for Central Asian and Mon- tion and drug use in Kyrgyzstan. The campaign, created in golian youth to identify and discuss key security challenges co-operation with the Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture, Sports and concerning rule of law, integrity and crime prevention. Youth Policy, involved some of Kyrgyzstan’s leading influenc- ers, bloggers, artists, youth activists and athletes, putting the Training course “Crime Prevention and Lawful spotlight on individuals who have achieved success through Behaviour”; Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan (21–25 August 2023) legal, ethical and constructive means. By showcasing these role models, the campaign sought not only to inspire young In co-operation with the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the people, but also to provide tangible examples of positive Ministry of Education and Science of Kyrgyzstan, TNTD/SPMU paths they can embark upon. It was aimed to reach more and the OCEEA held a training course for school teachers than one million young people in Kyrgyzstan within two across Kyrgyzstan to deliver an OSCE-developed curriculum on months through social media and national TV channels. crime prevention and lawful behaviour for students in grades 5 to 11. They were introduced to the curriculum and methods for Training-of-trainers course for universities on the its implementation, while expanding their knowledge of organ- OSCE-developed curriculum “Crime Prevention and ized crime, corruption and illegal drug use. They also learned ef- Culture of Lawfulness”; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan fective teaching methods to strengthen students’ resilience and (20–22 June 2023) reduce the likelihood of their engagement in illegal and corrupt activities. TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA organized the above training- of-trainers course during which 38 professors from 18 uni- Awareness-raising campaign to prevent youth versities across Kyrgyzstan honed their skills in order to be involvement in organized crime, corruption and drug able to teach students about the risks and consequences of use in Kyrgyzstan; online (19–24 September 2023) criminal behaviour, including organized crime, corruption and drug use. The training course helped professors to enhance TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in co-operation with the their thematic knowledge of the curriculum modules and learn OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the OSCE Programme Of- effective teaching methods to deliver the course in a way that fice in Bishkek, relaunched the awareness-raising campaign will further strengthen students’ resilience and reduce the like- held in June 2023, as described above. Involving leading lihood of their engagement in illegal and corrupt activities. influencers, bloggers, artists, youth activists and athletes

22 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

in Kyrgyzstan, it spotlighted individuals who have achieved draft of the 2024–2028 Canton of Sarajevo Youth Strategy. success through legal, ethical and constructive means. The event gathered experts from academia and civil society. Participants focused particularly on learning about interna- Multi-stakeholder event for the development of the tional good practices in youth crime prevention, an essential Youth Strategy of the Canton of Sarajevo; Sarajevo, part of the Strategy. Bosnia and Herzegovina (27–28 September 2023) South-Eastern Europe grant programme; TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in co-operation with the Min- (July–October 2023) istry of Education, Science, Higher Education and Youth of Canton Sarajevo, organized an event for the development of TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA, in co-operation with the the Sarajevo Youth Strategy, gathering representatives from Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, the Canton of Sarajevo’s Ministry of Education, Ministry of carried out a regional grants programme with the aim to Justice, Ministry of Infrastructure and Environmental Protec- strength youth resilience to organized crime and corruption tion, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of in South-Eastern Europe. During the period in question, Economy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Ministry of 5,142 young people engaged in 72 in-person events, work- Culture and Sports, and Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. shops, art performances and film festivals. Moreover, the The event enabled discussions on the development of the programme reached 436,257 young people through social Youth Strategy and the exchange of international good prac- media channels, raising their awareness of the role played tices in the field of youth crime prevention. by rule of law and integrity in creating a peaceful and pros- perous society. Recognizing the essential role of civil society Multi-stakeholder workshop for development of the in working with and for youth on the ground, during the pro- Canton of Sarajevo Youth Strategy; Sarajevo, Bosnia gramme, the OSCE and the Global Initiative against Transna- and Herzegovina (20 November 2023) tional Organized Crime supported two CSOs in each of the involved participating States, which included Albania, Bosnia In co-operation with the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ser- and Youth of the Canton of Sarajevo and the OSCE Mission bia. The organizations conducted grassroots extra-curricular to Bosnia and Herzegovina, TNTD/SPMU and the OCEEA educational and awareness-raising events engaging young delivered a second multi-stakeholder event to d iscuss the people.

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1.2 TNTD/Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU)

▶ Enhanced capacities of participating States in preventing and countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes; Belgrade, Serbia, and other locations (November 2023)

Through continuous collaboration with OSCE field operations in Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe, as well as with national counterparts, TNTD/ATU regularly delivers national tabletop exercises (TTX) on the challenges that the use of the internet by terrorists and violent extremists can cause, as well as on related effective and human right-compliant responses.

Jointly with the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, TNTD/ATU organized such a TTX in Belgrade from 15 to 17 November November 2023 for participants from governmental agencies, civil society, the media, and internet service providers, making it possible to address the interests and concerns of all relevant stakeholders.

Tabletop Exercise (TTX) on preventing and countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes, held in Belgrade, Serbia, in November 2023. (OSCE)

24 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Local and international experts, including from RFoM, ODIHR, the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), Europol and the UN-led Tech against Terrorism initiative, introduced good practices in responding to terrorism-related online challenges, while respecting the right to privacy, freedom of expression and other relevant human rights parameters.

A set of actionable recommendations was produced by participants focusing on, inter alia, a framework for responding to these new challenges, improving co-ordination between relevant actors making better use of expertise gathered by civil society, and access to relevant constituencies.

These recommendations, shared with the Government of Serbia, could be taken into account in formulating policies and frameworks for preventing and countering terrorist use of the internet. They were also used used to draft wider national strategies and action plans for preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism.

Two further TTX were implemented by TNTD/ATU in 2023 in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

Counter-terrorism activities

OSCE briefing to the UN Global Counter-Terrorism It provided input to guide the implementation of the Institute’s Coordination Compact Working Group on Border newly launched CT PHARE project (Platform for HumAn Management and Law Enforcement; online Rights Engagement), funded by the EU, which establishes (14 February 2023) a platform for human rights engagement. Participants dis- cussed international and European legal frameworks, good TNTD/ATU and the CPC provided a joint briefing on future practices, and tools and resources for complying with human activities across several portfolios to the UN Global Counter- rights in a counter-terrorism context. TNTD’s contribution Terrorism Coordination Compact Working Group on Border focused on gender considerations for effectively adressing Management and Law Enforcement, including on border both men and women perpetrators and victims in a human management, vulnerable targets protection and small arms rights-compliant manner. control. The briefing provided an opportunity to update UN and non-UN partners working in these areas and to identify UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee future areas of co-operation. visit to Spain; Madrid, Spain (24–28 April 2023)

Institute for Justice and Rule of Law expert TNTD/ATU contributed to an assessment visit by the UN group meeting on human rights in the context of Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (UN CTC) to countering terrorism; Valletta, Malta Spain. The visit provided an opportunity for the Committee (21–22 March 2023) to assess the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and other international counter-terrorism commit- TNTD/ATU and ODIHR contributed to an expert group meet- ments by Spain and to provide recommendations for further ing on human rights in the context of countering terrorism, action. which examined human rights concerns in counter-terrorism.

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Preventing and countering violent Countering the financing of extremism and radicalization that terrorism lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT) Capacity-building work on combating the financing of Consultations by the Gender and Identity Factors terrorism; South-Eastern Europe (throughout 2023) Platform for Countering Violent Extremism and Counterterrorism – Global Counterterrorism Forum; From 28 February to 2 March, TNTD/ATU and UNODC, online (16 March 2023) with the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, conduct- ed a training course aimed at enhancing the skills of bene- TNTD/ATU participated in the consultations led by the Gen- ficiary entities to conduct effective financial investigations in der and Identity Factors Platform for Countering Violent Ex- counter-terrorism. A team of local trainers learned about the tremism and Counterterrorism organized by Canada and terrorist funding cycle, analysing financial needs of a terrorist UNOCT. TNTD/ATU presented the work of the OSCE on organization, as well as various opportunities for disruption. gender and preventing and countering violent extremism and The interagency team worked with international expert train- radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT) and promot- ers to tailor course material to the local context and present ed the OSCE Policy Brief Linkages between Violent Misogy- the material through case scenarios. The local trainer team ny and Violent Extremism1 and the OSCE guidebook Under- then delivered a related training course to peers from their re- standing the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering spective agencies from 25 to 27 April in Pejë/Peć, Kosovo.3 Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism – Good Practices for Law Enforcement.2 From 9 to 11 May, a training course held in Veles, North Mac- edonia, focused on the application of the sanction regime ODIHR regional detention monitoring event; established under UN Security Council resolution 1267 as a Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina disruption tool gathered participants from nine different na- (13–14 September 2023) tional agencies involved in combating the financing of ter- rorism (CFT). An expert from the UN Analytical Support and At the invitation of ODIHR, TNTD/ATU participated in a re- Sanctions Monitoring Team contributed to the course. gional event in Sarajevo entitled “Detention Monitoring and Protection of Human Rights while Preventing and Counter- From 11 to 13 July, another ToT course was organized with ing VERLT in Prisons”. TNTD presented the OSCE’s work on the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. It aimed at P/CVERLT, showcasing relevant guidebooks on referral mech- building the capacities of local experts in the use of finan- anisms and non-custodial rehabilitation and reintegration. cial intelligence as a counter-terrorism tool. The local training team subsequently delivered a training course from 5 to 7 Regional workshop “Law enforcement agencies September in Peje/Peć on the importance of applying ana- co-operation with civil society in the protection lytical techniques in financial investigations. of children and the engagement of women in countering violent extremism”; Dushanbe, Tajikistan Study visit for a government delegation of (20–23 November 2023) Turkmenistan; Vienna, Austria (27–30 June, 3 October 2023) As part of this regional workshop organized by the EU-funded Law Enforcement in Central Asia (LEICA) Project, TNTD/ATU TNTD, OCEEA and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat co-organ- delivered a presentation on whole-of-society and commu- ized a study visit to Vienna for a government delegation of Turk- nity-oriented policing approaches to P/CVERLT. The work- menistan in order to facilitate the exchange of experiences and shop’s objective was to exchange experiences, initiatives good practices in the areas of combating corruption and the and lessons learned from projects furthering the co-opera- financing of terrorism, including anti-money laundering (AML), tion between law enforcement and civil society, particularly with their Austrian counterparts (Ministry of Finance, Financial on engaging women and civil society, and protecting children Market Authority, National Bank, Criminal Intelligence Service at risk of radicalization. [Bundeskriminalamt], as well as Austria’s Financial Intelligence Unit, Bar Association, Austrian Chamber of Civil Law Notaries, and Directorate of State Security and Intelligence) and OSCE 1 OSCE 2022, OSCE Policy Brief – Linkages between Violent Misogyny and Violent Extremism, accessible at https://www.osce.org/secretariat/525297 2 OSCE 2019, Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Vio- 3 All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this lent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism - Good Practices for Law text should be understood in full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution Enforcement, accessible at https://www.osce.org/secretariat/420563 1244.

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experts. Representatives of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Finance and the media. Both TTXs focused on developing national ca- and Economy, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, pacities to combat violent extremism and terrorism online by Ministry of National Security and Central Bank took part in the enhancing international co-operation and sharing good prac- study visit. The main aim of the visit was to discuss legal, insti- tices, particularly through engaging with private companies tutional and operational good practices, as well as challenges and other non-state actors. The events included presentations in these three closely connected areas of work. As a follow-up by ODIHR, the RFoM, the SecDev Group (a Canada-based to the study visit, TNTD/ATU organized a webinar for Turkmen think-tank), Europol’s Counter Terrorism Centre, and the UN- officials on 3 October. During the webinar, the Deputy Head of led Tech against Terrorism initiative. Experts highlighted how Unit on Beneficial Ownership Registry at the Federal Ministry to effectively address threats posed by terrorist abuse of the of Finance of Austria shared their national approach and prac- internet, while respecting privacy rights and freedom of ex- tices with the participants. pression, association, peaceful assembly and religion or belief, also taking into account the need to preserve global connec- tivity and the free and secure flow of information. Countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes A TTX taking place from 15 to 17 November in Belgrade was co-organized with the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, bringing together participants Council of Europe conference on countering from government agencies, international organizations, civil terrorist communications; Strasbourg, France society and the media. For more information, please see the (31 January–1 February 2023) highlighted activity at the beginning of this chapter.

TNTD/ATU participated in the Council of Europe conference UNOCT “Regional CT TECH Awareness-Raising on countering terrorist communications and presented its Workshop”; Tashkent, Uzbekistan work on countering the use of the internet for terrorist pur- (25–26 September 2023) poses and P/CVERLT during the session on digital forensics and electronic evidence. The presentation specifically ad- At the invitation of the UNOCT, TNTD/ATU was a featured dressed the training course on requesting digital evidence presenter in a regional CT TECH awareness-raising work- from foreign ICT service providers, TNTD’s tabletop exercises shop for Central Asian countries and Mongolia. The workshop producing recommendations for the improvement of inter- was organized by UNOCT in collaboration with INTERPOL, net-related laws, policies and institutional capacity, and the as part of the EU-funded CT TECH Project, and hosted by new line of efforts concerning media and information literacy. the Government of Uzbekistan. The event enabled the shar- ing of good practices in developing national policies and op- Expert group meeting of the UN Counter-Terrorism erational responses to the exploitation of new technologies Centre; online (28 February, 1 March 2023) for terrorist purposes, as well as on the use of these new technologies to prevent and counter terrorism. TNTD/ATU contributed to an expert group meeting at the invitation of the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of UNOCT. Participants discussed “Law Enforcement Capabil- Critical infrastructure protection ities Framework for New Technologies in Countering Terror- ism” and “Guidance for First Responders on the Collection Launch of “PROTECT: Project on the Protection of of Digital Devices in the Battlefield”. The meeting was part of Vulnerable Targets from Terrorist Attacks”; Vienna, an EU-funded joint initiative between UNOCT/UNCCT and Austria (March 2023) INTERPOL called CT TECH. TNTD/ATU launched a new project that aims to enhance na- National tabletop exercises (TTXs) on preventing tional approaches across the OSCE area in the protection and countering the use of the internet for terrorist of vulnerable targets (critical infrastructure and soft targets/ purposes; Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Serbia public spaces) from terrorist threats and other hazards. (17–19 May, 22–24 May, 15–17 November 2023) As a first activity under this new project, TNTD/ATU conducted TNTD/ATU co-organized two national TTXs with the OSCE a National Awareness-Raising Workshop on Critical Infrastruc- Programme Office in Astana and the OSCE Centre in Ashgab- ture Protection from Terrorist Attacks, supported by the OSCE at, respectively. These events brought together national ex- Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, from 13 to 15 December perts in Astana and in Ashgabat representing national institu- in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The event convened a multi-agency tions, law enforcement agencies, civil society, the ICT industry audience of national officials in order to: (i) raise awareness and

27 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

build a common understanding of the need to protect critical ractices and France’s approach to the protection of soft p infrastructure from terrorist attacks in a human rights-compli- targets and public spaces from terrorist attacks. The visit in- ant manner; (ii) identify related good practices developed in cluded consultations with local and national officials tasked Uzbekistan; and (iii) identify needs for future technical assis- with the protection of schools, houses of worship, public tance activities in Uzbekistan under the project PROTECT. health facilities, shopping centres and other soft targets. The study tour was organized with the support of the Permanent Final policy event focused on improving security of Representation of France to the OSCE. at-risk religious sites and communities; Brussels, Belgium (14 March 2023) Rule of law and counter-terrorism The EU-funded programme “Strengthening the Security and Resilience of At-Risk Religious Sites and Communities”’ CEPOL workshop on women and children affiliated presented its final policy recommendations to the European with terrorists; Ankara, Türkiye (online) Commission and other stakeholders. TNTD/ATU served as (24 May 2023) an expert panelist and provided reflections on the policy rec- ommendations, alongside areas for future action. The TNTD TNTD/ATU contributed to a workshop for judges, prosecu- contributions drew on the department’s experience in building tors and police officers from Türkiye and EU countries fo- public–private partnerships to address violent extremist and cusing on the instrumentalization of women and exploitation terrorist threats to soft targets, including houses of worship. of children by terrorist organizations. TNTD presented an overview of the repatriation, prosecution and rehabilitation/ Launch of the UN Roadmap on countering terrorist reintegration efforts vis-à-vis women and children across the threats against vulnerable targets; Dushanbe, OSCE area. Tajikistan, and online (4–6 July 2023) CEPOL workshop on the prosecution of foreign TNTD/ATU, jointly with the OSCE Programme Office in Du- terrorist fighters (FTFs); Amman, Jordan shanbe and UNOCT, conducted a workshop to launch the (8–13 July 2023) UN Roadmap on Vulnerable Targets Protection in Tajikistan. The event gathered national and international experts to At the invitation of CEPOL, TNTD/ATU contributed to a explore key concepts of both critical infrastructure and soft workshop for judges, prosecutors and police officers from target protection. These included related UN and OSCE the Middle East and North Africa focusing on challenges in commitments, public–private partnership frameworks, and criminal procedures involving foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), human rights-compliant approaches to protective security. such as the use of battlefield evidence, witness protection measures and cross-border co-operation. TNTD covered Workshop on soft target protection; Popova Šapka, sessions on human rights and fair trial parameters, as well as North Macedonia (26–28 September 2023) on special investigative techniques.

TNTD/ATU contributed to the workshop “Assessing the UNODC workshop “Post-Release Monitoring and Concept of Protection of Soft Targets Against Terrorist At- Probation of Returning FTFs and Violent Extremist tacks”, organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje. The event Offenders”; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (online) gathered national agencies to assess North Macedonia’s (19–20 September 2023) current capacities, draft recommendations to enhance the country’s contingency plans for the protection of soft targets, At the invitation of UNODC, TNTD/ATU participated in the and strengthen national interagency partnerships. above workshop. Contributing to Session 9, “The Develop- ment and Impact of Community-based Reintegration Initia- Study tour on soft target protection from terrorist tives”, TNTD gave an overview of related OSCE work, which attacks for government officials from Tajikistan; includes support to community policing efforts and strength- Paris, France (19–22 November 2023) ening of civil society engagement in P/CVERLT.

TNTD/ATU, jointly with the OSCE Programme Office in Du- shanbe, facilitated a study tour to Paris for officials from the government of Tajikistan to acquaint them with good

28 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

1.3 TNTD/Border Security and Management Unit (TNTD/BSMU)

▶ Programme to combat trafficking in cultural property in the OSCE area; Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia and Türkiye (throughout 2023)

Launched in late 2022 and fully implemented throughout 2023, this programme is designed to enhance the capacities of participating States’ law enforcement authorities to combat the illicit cross-border trafficking in cultural property and its links to organized crime and the financing of terrorism and money laundering, as well as training on prosecuting cases linked to looting and destruction of archaeological and cultural heritage sites. The programme also supports the OSCE- led Heritage Crime Task Force (HCTF), a unique joint team of 64 officers and specialists from 33 countries and organizations that serves as a rapid response team, as well as a training and law enforcement information-sharing platform.

The Programme’s regional operations training workshops broke new ground and were the first of their kind on effectively fighting cross-border heritage crime across the entire spectrum of investigation, including police, border guards and customs officers, forensic, financial and cyber investigators, military, museums academia and State prosecutors. These events resulted in the creation of new regional and Europe/North America wide cross-agency law enforcement partnerships-partnerships that have resulted in joint investigations leading to the seizure of nearly 400 trafficked pieces of art, antiquities and cultural property in 2023 alone. These include the seizure of 300 paintings from Ukraine in Italy and the seizure of 18 paintings in Ukraine by trainees of the OSCE Programme.

Participants of the regional interactive workshop in Pula, Croatia, on combating illicit trafficking of art, antiquities and cultural property. (OSCE)

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Expert contribution to the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat Travel document security regional workshop “Expansion of Regional and International Mechanisms in the Fight Against New Briefing at the Frontex Annual Plenary Meeting on Drug Threat Challenges”; Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Document and Identity Control, and the Frontex and online (29 March 2023) Expert Group on Document Control; Warsaw, Poland (27 February 2023) At the invitation of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, TNTD/ BSMU contributed to the regional workshop “Expansion of TNTD/BSMU shared key updates on the OSCE’s main ac- Regional and International Mechanisms in the Fight Against tivities in the fight against document and identity fraud at New Drug Threat Challenges” with presentations on current Frontex Annual Plenary Meeting on Document and Identity cross-border challenges and OSCE activities to tackle them. Control, focusing specifically on activities implemented in the TNTD/BSMU also showcased the department’s work on the Western Balkans and Moldova. The purpose of the meeting expansion of regional and international mechanisms in the was to provide information about latest technologies, share fight against new drug threat challenges. insights and case studies, and discuss relevant activities in the area of document and identity control. Exchange of know-how at the Regional Practitioners Dialogue on Smuggling of Migrants by Air, Sea/ Training course on the identification of forged Water, Land and Trafficking in Human Beings in the documents for the State Border Guard Service of Western Balkans; Durrës, Albania Ukraine; Rzeszów, Poland (6–17 March 2023) (29–30 March 2023) Basic and advanced training courses on the identification of At the invitation of the Migration Asylum Refugee Regional forged documents were delivered to border security officials Initiative, TNTD/BSMU contributed to the session “The Gen- from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. During the der Dimension of Smuggling of Migrants and Trafficking in hands-on training sessions, participants were introduced to Human Beings” of the Regional Practitioners Dialogue on the identification of forged documents and of impostors, as Smuggling of Migrants by Air, Sea/Water, Land and Traffick- well as emerging trends in travel document security. ing in Human Beings in the Western Balkans. TNTD/BSMU shared good practices and tools used in mainstreaming a ID@Borders Conference; Brussels, Belgium gender perspective in border security and management. (20–21 April 2023)

Forum of the OSCE Secretary General and the TNTD/BSMU, at the invitation of the Biometric Institute, Lon- Central Asia Border Commanders; Vienna, Austria don, United Kingdom, presented the OSCE’s travel docu- (27–28 April 2023) ment security portfolio at the ID@Borders Conference’s panel on the ethical use of biometrics in conflict settings, together At the invitation of the OSCE Secretary General, five Central with INTERPOL, the International Organization for Migration Asia Border Commanders and Deputy Commanders attended and NATO. the inaugural meeting of the Forum. The discussions at the Fo- rum focused on the threats in border security emanating from World Border Security Congress (WBSC); Skopje, Afghanistan—such as terrorism, radical religious extremism, North Macedonia (25–27 April 2023) trafficking in illicit drugs, small arms and light weapons, irregular migration, and trafficking in human beings—and the opportuni- TNTD/BSMU co-moderated the workshop of the World ties for strengthening regional co-operation in this area. Border Security Congress (WBSC) on identity documents and data-sharing, and presented the work of the OSCE on International Digital Security Forum; Vienna, Austria advance passenger information (API) at a plenary panel of (19–21 September 2023) the event. The WBSC provides an annual forum for network- ing and information exchange where the border protection TNTD/BSMU provided an expert contribution at the Interna- policymakers, management and practitioners, together with tional Digital Security Forum organized by the Austrian In- security industry professionals, can discuss international stitute of Technology. During the thematic session “Fighting challenges faced when protecting borders. Organizing Crime in the Digital Era: Tools, Technologies and Strategies”, TNTD/BSMU presented the OSCE activities in addressing border security and management challenges in travel document security.

30 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

ToT course on detecting forged documents and Meetings on border security with officials in impostors for the State Border Guard Service of Tajikistan; Dushanbe, Tajikistan (14–15 March 2023) Ukraine; Krakow, Poland (10–14 July 2023) TNTD/BSMU contributed to the 34th Border Management TNTD/BSMU, with the support of the Austrian Federal Min- Staff Course of the OSCE Border Management Staff Col- istry of the Interior, delivered a ToT course for border security lege by introducing API and passenger name record (PNR) officials from Ukraine. The event enabled the participants to concepts to border police officers from participating States share their knowledge with their colleagues in Ukraine, pro- and Partners for Co-operation. TNTD/BSMU also met with moting local ownership and the sustainability of training on representatives of the Border Troops and Ministry of Foreign forged document detection. Affairs of Tajikistan to discuss the implementation of the na- tional road map for the establishment in Tajikistan of the API Assessment visit on forged documents training system developed in 2019. needs for Bulgarian Border Police; Sofia, Bulgaria (4–6 December 2023) Technical assessment visit to the premises of the Passenger Information Unit (PIU); Skopje, North TNTD/BSMU conducted a series of working meetings with Macedonia (11–14 April 2023) officials from Bulgaria’s Directorate of the Border Police, the National Centre for Counteracting Fake and Forged Doc- TNTD/BSMU conducted a technical needs assessment visit uments, the Regional Directorate of Border Police – Sofia to the PIU in North Macedonia, followed by the procurement Airport, and with the Rector and Deputy Rector of the Min- of ICT equipment to support the efforts of the Ministry of In- istry of Interior Academy to discuss their current training pro- ternal Affairs of North Macedonia to further strengthen the grammes on the detection of forged documents. national PIU.

Meetings of the Eastern European Informal Working Identifying potential foreign terrorist Group (EE IWG) on Passenger Data; various fighters locations (throughout 2023)

TNTD/BSMU facilitated and supported a number of meet- Virtual tour around the newly established Passenger ings of the EE IWG throughout 2023 within the framework of Information Unit (PIU) of the Kyrgyz Republic; online the Memorandum of Agreement signed between OSCE and (15 February 2023) UNOCT in November 2022.

The Eastern European Informal Working Group (EE IWG) on On 4 April, the Georgian PIU presented on API and PNR Passenger Data convened online for a presentation and vir- information exchange to representatives of national PIUs, tual tour of the recently established PIU of the Kyrgyz Repub- members of the EE IWG, OSCE field operations, UNOCT, lic. The gathering provided an opportunity for the participants the project AIRCOP, and the IOM. to observe the advances in the establishment of the Kyrgyz PIU and the advantages of co-operation within the EE IWG. On 18 May, Kyrgyzstan presented on their national experi- ence in the interaction of the national PIU with airline compa- API needs assessment visit to Montenegro; nies, establishing communication channels and data trans- Podgorica, Montenegro (23–24 February 2023) mission methods.

TNTD/BSMU undertook a needs assessment mission in On 19 June, TNTD/BSMU organized a monthly EE IWG on- Podgorica, organized jointly with the Montenegrin Border line meeting on ICT issues and dependence on connectivity Police, Criminal Intelligence Department and international for national agencies. During the meeting, the Albanian PIU donors such as the EU and the International Organization for presented their experience and lessons learned on the topic. Migration (IOM). The visit focused on evaluating the status of Montenegro’s API system and supported the implemen- On 29 June, TNTD/BSMU presented the work of the OSCE tation of a national passenger data system in the country at a plenary session in Brussels, Belgium. The presentation in compliance with UNSCRs 2396 (2017) and 2482 (2019). to representatives of Europol, IOM, UNOCT and other in- The outcome included agreements to provide technical sup- ternational organizations focused on the establishment and port and start equipment procurement for the API system implementation of API systems, as well as the collaboration premises. with UNOCT in managing the joint EE IWG.

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On 27 July, TNTD/BSMU and UNOCT organized a regular OSCE-led mobile training team meeting of the EE IWG chaired by Mongolia. Meeting par- (MTT) ticipants discussed recent developments in the adoption of national legislation aimed at receiving passenger data from the transportation industry. Training-of-trainers course and curriculum development workshop for the mobile traning team On 10 October, TNTD/BSMU facilitated the meeting of the (MTT) on the identification of suspected foreign EE IWG to present the experience of Kyrgyzstan and Monte- terrorist fighters and perpetrators of cross-border negro in the development of their PIUs. crimes; Vienna, Austria (20–31 March 2023)

On 8 November, TNTD/BSMU and UNOCT organized the TNTD/BSMU delivered the above events with the aim to en- third annual gathering of the EE IWG for representatives of hance the training skills of MTT experts and border and law law enforcement, border, state security and customs agen- enforcement officers, as well as to initiate drafting of the new cies. The event provided a platform for discussion, allowing modular training programme to include courses on (i) iden- participants to share good practices and lessons learned, tity management and travel security, (ii) behavioural analysis methodologies of data collection from travelers, and security and interviewing techniques, (iii) crisis management, (iv) pre- analysis across different travel modalities. vention of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition, and (v) combating trafficking Awareness-raising national workshop on preventing in human beings. The new training programme integrates terrorist travel; Dushanbe, Tajikistan a strong human rights perspective and a gender and age (18–20 September 2023) sensitive approach to conducting border controls. The initia- tive was conducted in co-operation with experts from OSCE At the invitation of UNODC, TNTD/BSMU delivered a pres- structures, UNOCT, Frontex and INTERPOL. entation on its API portfolio and EE IWG activities to partic- ipants from national authorities from Tajikistan and Uzbek- MTT “Community of Practice” workshops; online istan responsible for the implementation of API systems. (11 May, 9 June, 13 July, 7 September, 14 September, This event addressed topics related to the collection and 12 October, 9 November, 14 December 2023) analysis of information, including passenger data, biometrics and international databases. The workshop also provided TNTD/BSMU established a monthly “Community of Practice” an opportunity to Tajikistan to share information about the workshop initiative as an outcome of the above OSCE-led implementation of API systems at the national level and to MTT project kick-off event in March 2023. In 2023, TNTD/ encourage discussions on how international organizations BSMU facilitated eight events for representatives of the can contribute to the further enhancement of such systems. OSCE-led MTT, INTERPOL, Frontex and UNOCT. The main objective of the monthly gathering was to discuss the de- Passenger Data Exchange Seminar; Vienna, Austria, velopment of the MTT modular training curriculum and final- and online (9–10 November 2023) ize the training catalogue. In addition, topics included travel security and identity management, behavioural analysis and TNTD/BSMU and UNOCT organized the 7th Passenger interviewing techniques, crisis management, combating illicit Data Exchange Seminar back-to-back with the Third An- trafficking in weapons and conventional ammunition, as well nual Meeting of the EE IWG on Passenger Data. The event as trafficking in human beings. provided a forum for discussion on API development among members of the EE IWG, as well as representatives of border, In May and June, participants received hands-on training state security and customs agencies. on utilizing open-source information and conducting training evaluation. API interagency roundtable; Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and online (30 November 2023) On 13 July and 7 September, participants attended a session delivered by a counter-terrorism expert from Türkiye on iden- TNTD/BSMU organized a national interagency roundtable on tifying and interviewing FTFs, as well as on airport security. preventing terrorist travel through the collection and analysis of passenger data for participants from Tajikistan’s Ministry of For- On 14 September, a session on techniques for assessing eign Affairs, Civil Aviation Agency, Customs Service under the training impact and efficiency was organized to analyse real- Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Border Troops of the life cases and samples of pre- and post-test assessments, State Committee for National Security, and Ministry of Interior. and to discuss the results of these analyses.

32 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

On 12 October, ODIHR experts presented the human rights Border security aspect of border management within the context of technol- ogy use, including the identification of suspected FTFs, as Workshop on the development of a training well as cross-border criminals and their victims. In addition curriculum on addressing cross-border challenges to highlighting human rights implications and challenges of in identifying and interviewing suspected FTFs and border security measures related to counter-terrorism, the other criminals for border and customs officers; experts explored some key human rights issues, including Tashkent, Uzbekistan (15–17 May 2023) those related to the collection/sharing of personal data, screening, risk assessment and profiling of travelers, as well TNTD/BSMU delivered a workshop on the development of a as the use of terrorism watchlists and alert systems in border training curriculum on addressing cross-border challenges in management. identifying and interviewing suspected FTFs and other crimi- nals to customs and border officers from the State Customs On 9 November, the “Community of Practice” workshop as- Committee and the Border Troops of the State Security Ser- sessed the feedback received after the pilot courses con- vice of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The workshop was used ducted for border police and customs services in Albania to tailor the OSCE-led MTT training curriculum to the national and Uzbekistan in September and October, respectively. requirements of Uzbekistan.

On 14 December, the outcomes of the MTT Annual Review Roundtable meeting on gender mainstreaming; Meeting held in November were discussed, pending tasks Tashkent, Uzbekistan (11–12 May 2023) were addressed, and the timelines for finalizing the training curriculum and the 2024 training plan were confirmed. TNTD/BSMU organized a meeting for customs and border officers to provide a forum for the exchange of good practic- OSCE-led MTT pilot training course; Tirana, Albania es in promoting gender equality in border security and man- (25-29 September 2023) agement.

TNTD/BSMU and the OSCE Presence in Albania conducted Behavioural analysis training; Tashkent, Uzbekistan a pilot training course for border and counter-terrorism of- (12–16 June 2023) ficers from the Albanian State Police and the Security and In- vestigation Academy. The training course included practical TNTD/BSMU delivered a training course on behavioural analy exercises and scenarios to teach participants how to effec- sis of criminals to officers from customs and border agencies tively assess traveler behaviour at border crossings, as well at the Department of Advanced Training of the State Customs as to support them in the identification of suspected FTFs, Committee of Uzbekistan. The course allowed border and cross-border crimes and potential victims of these crimes. customs officers to improve their ability to observe and inter- The training course also covered the use of effective inter- pret non-verbal behavioural signals that may indicate potential viewing techniques while ensuring the protection of human criminal activity. The training course was specifically tailored to rights and avoiding discriminatory profiling. first- and second-line border and customs officers stationed at airports and land border crossing points in Uzbekistan. MTT Annual Review Meeting of the OSCE-led MTT; Istanbul, Türkiye (27-29 November 2023) Advanced ToT course on the identification of FTFs/ criminals at borders; Tashkent, Uzbekistan TNTD/BSMU organized the first Annual Review Meeting (5–13 October 2023) for members of the multi-national OSCE-led MTT and rep- resentatives of Frontex, INTERPOL and UNOCT. The event TNTD/BSMU, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan provided a platform to assess the MTT-related activities and the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia delivered an conducted in 2023, refine the final draft of the MTT modular advanced ToT course to enhance the presentation skills of training curriculum and explore opportunities to strengthen MTT members, as well as border and customs officers. national training programmes on the identification of move- ments of FTFs, high-risk individuals and potential victims of Training course on women in leadership; Tashkent, cross-border serious and organized crime. Uzbekistan (8–10 November 2023)

TNTD/BSMU, with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordi- nator in Uzbekistan, delivered a training course for mid-level female customs and border officials on strengthening soft

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skills, enhancing women empowerment and leadership, as in particular activities related to combating illicit trafficking in well as acknowledging the added value women officers bring cultural property. The objective of the course was to familiar- when holding leadership positions. ize security officers and civilians from European and African countries with different aspects of sea–land border securi- Canine capacity-building study visit; London, United ty and refugees/arms/dual-use goods control fields, as well Kingdom (13–17 November 2023) as equipping border control units and sectors to effectively fight trafficking in human beings, as well as trafficking in con- TNTD/BSMU, the Forum for Security Co-operation and the ventional weapons (including SALW) and strategic dual-use Support Programme for Ukraine jointly conducted a study commodities across borders. visit for senior officials at the decision-making level from the canine services of the Border Troops of Uzbekistan to the Regional training workshop on combating illicit Police Training School in Surrey and the Metropolitan Po- cross-border trafficking in cultural property; Sofia, lice Dog Support Unit in Gatwick, United Kingdom. The visit Bulgaria (6–10 February 2023) served as the first step in establishing a co-operation be- tween the OSCE and the Surrey Dog Training School. TNTD/BSMU delivered a scenario-based regional training workshop on trafficking in cultural property for representa- National training course on combating the tives of border security and management, law enforcement trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW), and other related agencies. The focus of the workshop was ammunition and explosives; Tashkent, Uzbekistan to develop cross-border partnerships and deliver a hands- (4–7 December 2023) on training activity on criminal and financial investigations, border and customs procedures, crime scene investigation, TNTD/BSMU and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uz- and documentation of cultural heritage sites in an effort to bekistan delivered a training course for customs and bor- combat this growing area of cross-border crime and its link- der officers to strengthen their skills in teaching, training and ages to organized crime and financing of terrorism, money engaging with peers in combating the trafficking of SALW, laundering and corruption networks. ammunition and explosives. OSCE-led Heritage Crime Task Force (HCTF) Donation of technical equipment; Tashkent, support to Italian authorities; Turin, Italy Uzbekistan (4 October and 5 December 2023) (13–14 April 2023)

TNTD/BSMU donated 120 computer tablets to the Customs Upon request of the Italian Carabinieri Command for Cultural Committee of Uzbekistan. The tablets were procured based Heritage Protection, TNTD/BSMU conducted a working visit on technical specifications provided by the beneficiary to to assist Italian authorities in connecting with Ukrainian art ensure compatibility with existing systems/software. Subse- experts and Spanish law enforcement to gain their expert quently, the tablets were distributed to border checkpoints, opinions. including the Uzbek-Afghan “Ayritam” border checkpoint, in order to facilitate the identification of SALW, ammunition and OSCE-led HCTF visit; Budapest, Hungary explosives. (27–28 April 2023)

TNTD/BSMU met with representatives of the Hungarian Na- Combating trafficking in cultural tional Police, National Tax and Customs Administration, and property National Museum to discuss the inclusion of their national experts in the OSCE-led HCTF. The discussion also covered ways to collaborate operationally in combating cultural prop- Presentation during the “Sea/Land Borders Security erty trafficking and its connections to organized crime, ter- & Refugees/Arms/Dual-Use Goods Control Course” rorist financing, money laundering and corruption networks. organized by the Hellenic Multinational Peace Support Operation’s Training Center (MPSOTC); OSCE-led HCTF support to Austrian authorities; online (25 January 2023) Vienna, Austria (5 May 2023)

At the invitation of the MPSOTC, TNTD/BSMU delivered a TNTD/BSMU brought together forensic experts of the OSCE- lecture titled “The OSCE Perspective on Border Security led HCTF and Austria’s Kunsthistorisches Museum to assist Management”, introducing the audience to the mandate and with an investigation on the provenance of artefacts seized activities of the OSCE in border security and management, by Austrian customs. The forensic investigation was led by

34 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

soil and antiquities experts from OSCE-led HCTF member cases to highlight the latest investigative technologies and Cranfield University. tools, building cross-border partnerships to tackle this grow- ing area of crime. Expert trainers also touched on forensic Council of Europe (CoE) conference “The Nicosia crime scene investigations at museums and archeological Convention: A Criminal Justice Response to sites, delivered training on how to appropriately handle art, Offences Relating to Cultural Property”; Riga, Latvia artefacts and historical documents and provided tools and (15–16 June 2023) methods to conduct darknet/black market investigations, disrupt money-laundering networks and, ultimately, put to- TNTD/BSMU delivered a keynote presentation at the Coun- gether cases that can be brought to successful prosecution. cil of Europe (CoE) conference “The Nicosia Convention: A Criminal Justice Response to Offences Relating to Cultur- International Conference on Cultural Heritage al Property” on the role of the OSCE in helping to combat Protection in Crisis Areas; Vicenza, Italy trafficking in cultural property, as well as on the work of the (28–29 September 2023) OSCE-led HCTF. TNTD/BSMU participated in the International Conference Meeting with representatives of the Slovakian on Cultural Heritage Protection in Crisis Areas organized by national police; Bratislava, Slovakia (4 July 2023) the Italian Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cul- tural Heritage, Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units TNTD/BSMU met with the representatives of the Criminal Po- (CoESPU), to discuss cultural heritage protection in crisis lice Office and the Presidium of the Police Forces of Slovakia areas, and good practices in international co-ordination in to discuss how to co-operate in combating cultural heritage response to such crises. The OSCE Co-ordinator of Activi- trafficking, as well as the links of such trafficking to organized ties to Address Transnational Threats presented the work of crime, the financing of terrorism, money laundering and cor- the OSCE in addressing threats posed by the trafficking of ruption networks. The discussion highlighted the importance cultural property, focusing on the efforts to strengthen law of establishing enhanced communication channels between enforcement and border security responses to protect cul- different ministries in order to effectively combat the smug- tural heritage. gling of cultural artefacts. Partnership visits and study tour in support of the Online training course on combating trafficking in programme to combat trafficking in cultural property cultural property for university students; online and the work of the OSCE-led HCTF; Istanbul and (18 July 2023) Gaziantep, Türkiye (20–26 November 2023)

TNTD/BSMU delivered an online training course on traffick- At the invitation of the Permanent Mission of Türkiye to the ing in cultural property for Master’s students at the University OSCE, TNTD/BSMU and members of the OSCE-led HCTF of Victoria, Canada. The training course was part of the EU conducted a study tour to Türkiye to explore good practices Borders in Globalization Master’s Study Programme. It fea- in law enforcement co-ordination and site protection imple- tured sections on the history of customs and border man- mented by Turkish authorities at museums and heritage sites agement in Canada, as well as a specific multi-hour section following the devastating earthquakes in February 2023. on trafficking in cultural property, the OSCE-led HCTF and Several meetings focused on deepening partnerships with on-going work in the OSCE area focused on combating this the Turkish police, customs and border guards, as well as crime. studying trafficking networks that may be attempting to ex- ploit Türkiye as a transit route to traffic cultural property into Third regional interactive workshop on combating Europe. trafficking of art, antiquities and cultural property; Pula, Croatia (11–15 September 2023) Museum Exhibition: STOLEN | LOST | RECOVERED: Ukraine and European Stolen Art, Antiquities and TNTD/BSMU organized a workshop on combating the traf- Cultural Property and responses of the OSCE-led ficking of art, antiquities and cultural property for law enforce- HCTF; Vienna, Austria (11 December 2023) ment, border management officers and museum experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Montene- TNTD/BSMU organized an exhibition at the Ephesos Muse- gro, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine. The participants um featuring digital exhibitions of stolen art from Ukraine and received hands-on training in investigative skills, notably across Europe, as well as presenting the art crime investiga- through the use of scenario-based simulation exercises. tion and counter-trafficking efforts of the OSCE-led HCTF. These exercises included fictitious art crimes and trafficking The exhibition was intended as an awareness-raising event

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and opportunity for the delegations of OSCE participating vulnerabilities in the context of THB and jointly identified be- States to understand the phenomenon of cultural proper- havioural indicators of victims of THB. They also learned how ty trafficking, receive a briefing about the work of the pro- to interview victims of THB in a trauma-sensitive way. gramme, and meet some of the national experts of the HCTF. OSCE Networking Platform for Women Leaders Fourth regional interactive workshop on combating meeting (WIN project); Vienna, Austria (23 May 2023) trafficking of art, antiquities and cultural property; Vienna, Austria (11–15 December 2023) At the invitation of the OSCE Secretariat Gender Issues Programme, TNTD/BSMU attended a meeting with Ukrain- TNTD/BSMU organized a workshop on combating trafficking ian members of the OSCE Networking Platform for Women of art, antiquities and cultural property for law enforcement, Leaders, brought together within the framework of the WIN border management officers and museum experts from project. The objective was to discuss the current state of af- Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and fairs and strategic priorities for Ukrainian women civil actors Ukraine. The participants received hands-on training in inves- and the OSCE in Ukraine. TNTD/BSMU presented its activi- tigative skills, notably through the use of scenario-based sim- ties related to border security and management, in particular ulation exercises. The exercises included fictitious art crimes those with Ukraine’s security sector. and trafficking cases to highlight the latest investigative tech- nologies and tools, thereby building cross-border partner- Training programme on preventing and addressing ships to tackle this growing area of crime. Expert trainers sexual harassment and discrimination in border and also touched on forensic crime scene investigations at mu- law enforcement agencies; Chișinău, Moldova seums and archeological sites, delivered training on how to (1–2 November 2023) appropriately handle art, artefacts and historical documents, and provided tools and methods to conduct darknet/black TNTD/BSMU organized a training programme on address- market investigations, disrupt money-laundering networks ing and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace for and, ultimately, put together cases that can be brought to mid- and senior-level officers from the Moldovan Customs successful prosecution. Service, Border Police and Ministry of Internal Affairs. Dur- ing the training programme, the participants examined the incidence, impact and perception of sexual harassment in Gender mainstreaming in border border and law enforcement agencies, and analysed good security and management practices in preventing and addressing sexual harassment in law enforcement agencies.

Contribution to the webinar “Towards Gender- Regional workshop on gender aspects of border Responsive Border Management”; online security and management; Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (3 February 2023) (23–24 November 2023)

TNTD/BSMU provided an expert contribution to the webinar At the invitation of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, TNTD/ entitled “Towards Gender-Responsive Border Management” BSMU delivered a presentation entitled “Women-friendly organized by ODIHR, UN Women and the Geneva Centre for workplace – gender parity in border management work- the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), and pre- place: examples from the OSCE pS” at a regional workshop sented its work with border agencies in the OSCE area, fo- on gender aspects of border security and management. cusing on the topic of creating gender-responsive work envi- ronments within border security and management agencies. Annual Conference of the OSCE Gender Equality Platform in Border Security and Management; Webinar “Gendered Aspects of Identification of Istanbul, Türkiye (4–5 December) Trafficking in Human Beings at Border Crossing Points”; online (24 March 2023) The Annual Conference of the OSCE Gender Equality Plat- form in Border Security and Management brought togeth- TNTD/BSMU organized a webinar on the gendered aspects er members of the Gender Equality Platform in border and of trafficking in human beings (THB) and the identification security management, who were provided with tools and of victims and perpetrators of this crime at border crossing strategies on how to establish gender-inclusive leadership points for the members of the OSCE Gender Equality Plat- and create psychologically safe team cultures. They also dis- form in Border Security and Management. The webinar intro- cussed how to recognize and prevent sexual harassment in duced border security officers to gender roles and gendered the workplace within border services.

36 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

1.4 Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA)

Introduction

Within the Secretariat, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) addresses security-related economic and environmental issues as part of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security.

▶ Working with law enforcement and regulatory authorities to fight the abuse of crypto-assets in Georgia (throughout 2023)

The OCEEA successfully enhanced the capabilities of law enforcement agencies in Georgia, particularly the police, in combating illicit transactions associated with crypto-assets. Through comprehensive training programmes and hands-on workshops, law enforcement investigators from various jurisdictions gained invaluable expertise in conducting blockchain investigations.

Training course on combating illicit transactions associated with crypto-assets for the National Bank of Georgia. (OSCE)

37 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

The OCEEA also provided support to the National Bank of Georgia in building their national regulatory framework related to Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). This assistance has contributed to a more comprehensive approach to tackling virtual asset crimes in Georgia and ensured the alignment between law enforcement efforts and regulatory measures. The success of these initiatives in Georgia has garnered attention from other participating States, which has led to increased demand for similar training programmes. This recognition underscores the effectiveness of the approach and highlights the importance of bolstering capabilities in this domain on an international scale. Going forward, the OCEEA will provide licenses for access to cutting-edge analytical software specifically designed for tracing illicit transactions involving crypto-assets to state institutions of Georgia in charge of such investigations.

This ongoing support demonstrates the OSCE’s commitment to fostering international co-operation and addressing the evolving challenges posed by virtual assets, while acknowledging the support of beneficiaries like the National Bank of Georgia in efforts to strengthen both law enforcement responses and regulatory frameworks.

One participant of a training course in Georgia highlighted that “attending the OCEEA’s training was a game-changer for us. It provided us with invaluable skills and knowledge to effectively investigate crypto-assets, enabling us to combat financial crime and money laundering more efficiently in Georgia. The OSCE’s efforts in building our national capacities, both in investigating crypto-assets and developing regulatory frameworks, are very much appreciated. This initiative will undoubtedly enhance our ability to safeguard our financial system and protect our citizens from illicit activities.”

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Basic training course on virtual asset investigations Advanced training courses on virtual asset for Georgian, Moldovan and Ukrainian participants; investigations for Georgian, Moldovan and Ukrainian Tbilisi, Georgia (27 February–2 March 2023), participants; Tbilisi, Georgia (17–20 October 2023), Chișinău, Moldova (20–25 March 2023), and Vienna, Chișinău, Moldova (30 October–2 November 2023), Austria (27 March–1 April 2023) and Vienna, Austria (13–24 November 2023)

The OCEEA/Economic Governance Unit organized a series Following up on the basic training courses, the OCEEA/Eco- of training events focusing on equipping Georgian, Moldo- nomic Governance Unit organized advanced training cours- van and Ukrainian participants with basic skills in conducting es on virtual asset investigations for Georgian, Moldovan virtual asset investigations. The participants learned about and Ukrainian participants. These training courses covered the risks associated with cryptocurrencies and criminal advanced techniques and tools that can help government schemes, as well as about the tools used for tracing vari- officials to investigate financial crimes committed using virtual ous coins and tokens. They reviewed real-life case studies, assets. This included advanced tracing in criminal transac- explored the compliance of virtual assets service providers tions on different blockchains, case studies and good prac- (VASPs), and tried out some of the specialized online tools tices. The participants were also familiarized with specialized for cryptocurrency investigation. They also participated in a analysis software. practical simulation exercise on hacking digital crypto wallets and seizing criminal funds.

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1.5 Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

Introduction

The Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB) is mandated to address all forms of trafficking in human beings (THB), to ensure the co-ordination of the OSCE’s efforts in combating THB across all three dimensions, and to act as a focal point for the OSCE’s efforts in this area. In 2023, the OSR/CTHB continued its work to support OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation in preventing and prosecuting human trafficking and protecting its victims in line with the OSCE anti-trafficking commitments and recommendations set forth in the 2003 OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, its 2005 and 2013 Addenda and other MC Decisions, particularly through policy recommendations and capacity-building.

▶ Regional workshop to address technology-facilitated trafficking in human beings (THB); The Hague, Netherlands (16–18 May 2023)

In the first of a series of four, the OSR/CTHB organized a regional workshop addressing technology- facilitated trafficking in human beings. The first workshop brought together experts from 16 OSCE participating States and was opened by the OSCE Acting Co-ordinator and the Dutch National Anti-Trafficking Rapporteur. The experts and practitioners shared ideas on the best ways to address the misuse of technology by traffickers, and to build synergies for wider regional co-operation on the topic. The workshop focused in particular on the identification of human trafficking victims advertised on sexual services websites, proactive investigations, and the necessary policy responses to address the problem.

Regional workshop to address technology- facilitated trafficking in human beings (THB) in The Hague, Netherlands in May 2023. (OSCE)

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One of the participants shared that “given the growing importance of the internet as an enabler of THB and of adult services websites, it is very important for law enforcement to be aware of the ongoing developments in the digital area. The information available on adult services websites can be very important to identify new victims and to link suspicious sex offers to organized crime. The mapping provided by the OSCE of websites facilitating the sale and purchase of sexual services is very useful for gaining an overview of existing adult services websites and for identifying potential new relevant websites that law enforcements should keep an eye on.”

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

National workshops on recommendations on the such as strengthening co-ordination of anti-trafficking efforts, need to enhance anti-trafficking prevention amid adopting a new anti-trafficking strategy, and ensuring victims’ mass migration flows; Tallinn, Estonia access to justice. The Special Representative highlighted the (11 January 2023); Vilnius, Lithuania pressing need to prioritize and invest in anti-trafficking efforts, (19 January 2023); Oslo, Norway (9 February 2023); including by raising the profile of the issue within the govern- Bratislava, Slovakia (15 February 2023); Prague, ment and pursuing more ambitious policy action in Bulgaria, Czechia (7 March 2023); Bern and Lausanne, including on technology-facilitated trafficking. Switzerland (8 and 9 March 2023); Berlin, Germany (22 March 2023); Budapest, Hungary Country visit to Kyrgyzstan by the SR/CTHB; (28 March 2023); Bucharest, Romania (16 May 2023); Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (15–17 February 2023) Vienna, Austria (22 May 2023); Lisbon, Portugal (20 June 2023); Sofia, Bulgaria (5 July 2023); Athens, The Special Representative undertook consultations with Greece (11 July 2023); The Hague, Netherlands government authorities, parliamentarians, law enforcement (19 October 2023); London, United Kingdom agencies, and members of the judiciary and civil society to (1 November 2023); Gothenburg, Sweden highlight the anti-trafficking agenda at the highest levels of (16 November 2023) government, identify good practices, and share knowledge and lessons learned. Given the increased risks of human trafficking for people flee- ing Ukraine and in order to help the participating States most National workshop “Unconditional access to affected by these flows, the OSR/CTHB organized a series services for victims of trafficking in human beings”; of national workshops on its recommendations regarding Chișinău, Moldova (1 March 2023) the need to enhance anti-trafficking prevention amid mass migration flows. The workshops allowed policy-makers and The OSR/CTHB conducted a training workshop on un- practitioners involved in different aspects of anti-trafficking conditional access to services for victims of trafficking. The efforts to discuss the current situation, including the chal- workshops brought together national-level anti-trafficking lenges and opportunities to prevent the current humanitarian authorities, social protection and criminal justice practition- crisis from turning into a human trafficking crisis, as well as to ers and NGOs. The workshop promoted a “social path” for scaleup responses as needed. identifying and providing long-term assistance to trafficking victims, regardless of their willingness or ability to participate Joint CoE/OSCE national roundtable on anti- in criminal proceedings. trafficking commitments; Sofia, Bulgaria (31 January 2023) Release of publication Putting victims first: The “social path” to identification and assistance; At the joint roundtable, OSCE and Council of Europe officials Vienna, Austria (6 March 2023) shared the findings from the OSCE Special Representative’s country visit and the third evaluation report of the Group of Ex- The report Putting victims first: The “social path” to identifi- perts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA). cation and assistance outlines the “social path” as a viable They encouraged Bulgaria to take action in several key areas, protection avenue that frees victims from the requirement to

40 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

co-operate with the criminal justice process in order to ac- Co-ordination Team (AECT), including INTERPOL, Europol cess support and protection. It offers long-term assistance and UNODC, and focused on strengthening regional and to all victims without discrimination. It is a path to victim re- cross-regional co-operation. Other sessions were devoted to covery that, if implemented effectively, will ultimately lead to the prevention of THB in the OSCE supply chains and the im- reduced vulnerabilities, fewer cases of revictimization, more plementation of procurement guidance as well as exchanges credibility of protection systems, and safer communities. on priorities and synergies for 2023 activities.

Conference “Taking action against human Release of the report “Modernizing National Action trafficking and labour exploitation in supply chains”; Plans to strengthen States’ anti-trafficking efforts”; Prishtinë/Priština (9 March 2023) Vienna, Austria (5 June 2023)

Conducted in partnership with the OSCE Mission in Koso- The OSR/CTHB released a paper with recommendations on vo, the conference “Taking action against human trafficking how to strengthen States’ policy-level anti-trafficking efforts. and labour exploitation in supply chains” featured the par- The paper contains an analysis of the National Action Plans ticipation of the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry (NAPs) that are currently in use within the OSCE area, exam- of Justice, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and ining their structure and thematic priorities against persistent Innovation, Victims’ Advocacy and Assistance Office, prose- challenges and emerging trafficking trends. The publication cutors, social protection and shelter staff, as well as interna- outlines current approaches to NAPs in the OSCE region, high- tional organizations and private businesses. The discussions lighting common structural and thematic gaps, and provides at the event focused on the legal framework for preventing guidance on how States can modernize their NAPs to better and prosecuting human trafficking for labour exploitation, the respond to the current and evolving nature of human trafficking. challenges in identification and investigation of cases of hu- man trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, glob- Meeting of National Anti-trafficking Co-ordinators al legislative developments and OSCE Model Guidelines on and Rapporteurs or equivalent mechanisms, co- government measures to prevent human trafficking in supply organized with the Council of Europe; Strasbourg, chains, and human rights due diligence in government policy France, and online (6–7 June 2023) frameworks as well as in the private sector. Conducted in partnership with Council of Europe, the meet- 23rd Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking ing featured the participation of representatives from OSCE in Persons “It’s About People: National Leadership participating States and Partners for Co-operation in what to End Human Trafficking”; Vienna, Austria, and has become the largest gathering globally of anti-trafficking online (18–19 April 2023) authorities. The meeting served as an expert platform for identifying joint actions in addressing the current human On the 20th anniversary of the OSCE Action Plan to Combat trafficking-related challenges in the OSCE area and pro- Trafficking in Human Beings, the 23rd High-Level Conference moting the implementation of relevant OSCE commitments of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons showcased ex- and recommendations. Among other things, the discus- amples of leadership in combating the trafficking in human sions focused on understanding and addressing THB for beings within the OSCE area. It focused on establishing the the purpose of forced criminality, enhancing anti-trafficking core building blocks of an effective national response, includ- leadership structures, identification of and assistance to for- ing the necessary legislative and policy action, government eign victims of transnational trafficking, and the role of the anti-trafficking systems and structures, investment, and the National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators and Rapporteurs or political will needed to achieve success. More than 850 ex- equivalent mechanisms in enhancing proactive use of finan- perts, national anti-trafficking co-ordinators, rapporteurs, cial investigations. other State representatives, members of NGOs and aca- demia, and other stakeholders from all over the OSCE area Regional Workshop to Address Technology– took part in the event, both in person and online. Facilitated Trafficking in Human Beings; Tallinn, Estonia (19–21 June 2023) OSCE Anti-Trafficking Focal Points meeting, joint session with the Alliance Expert Co-ordination Team In the second of a series of four, the OSR/CTHB organized a (AECT); Vienna, Austria, and online (20 April 2023) regional workshop addressing technology-facilitated traffick- ing in human beings. The workshop gathered experts and The OSR/CTHB team hosted a meeting of the anti-trafficking practitioners to identify the best ways to address the misuse focal points across OSCE executive structures. Part of the of technology by traffickers and build synergies for wider re- meeting was conducted jointly with the Alliance Expert gional co-operation. Policy-makers, law enforcement officials

41 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

and prosecutors from Canada, Estonia, Georgia, Ireland, Is- National workshops “Unconditional access rael, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, to services for victims of trafficking in human Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the United States, as well as beings”; Riga, Latvia (2–3 October 2023); Vilnius, experts from INTERPOL attended the workshop. Lithuania (5–6 October 2023); Chișinău, Cahul and Soroca, Moldova (20 November–1 December 2023); Regional simulation–based training exercise in Bratislava, Slovakia (28–29 November 2023); Porto, Central Asia; Astana, Kazakhstan (26–30 June 2023) Portugal (11–12 December 2023); Sofia, Bulgaria (14–15 December 2023) The OSR/CTHB, in partnership with the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General of the Republic of During the fourth quarter of 2023, the OSR/CTHB conduct- Kazakhstan, and with the support of the International Centre ed a series of training workshops on unconditional access for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the United States to services for victims of trafficking. These workshops fo- Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Af- cused on participating States hosting Ukrainian refugees fairs (INL), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refu- and brought together national anti-trafficking authorities, gees (UNHCR) and the OSCE field operations in Central Asia, social protection services, criminal justice practitioners and conducted a regional simulation-based training exercise. The NGOs working in the areas of combating THB and refugee exercise gathered practitioners from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, protection. The workshops promoted a “social path” to iden- Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, who worked in a tification and long-term assistance for all trafficking victims, multi-agency setting to identify and assist victims of trafficking regardless for their willingness or ability to participate in crim- in mixed migration flows, as well as to prosecute traffickers. inal proceedings. The workshops aimed to assist States in developing practical steps and policy options for the imple- Joint CoE/OSCE regional roundtable on mentation of the “social path” model. strengthening the role of the private sector and financial institutions in detecting and preventing Side event at the Warsaw Human Dimension THB; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Conference “The Nexus between Disabilities and (7–8 September 2023) Human Trafficking”; Warsaw, Poland (12 October 2023) The OSR/CTHB, in partnership with the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Be- The side event hosted by the OSR/CTHB on the margins of ings (GRETA), organized a roundtable on strengthening the the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference discussed the role of the private sector, particularly financial institutions, in ways both physical and mental disabilities can constitute a addressing financial flows associated with human traffick- vulnerability factor leading to THB, including abuse for ex- ing. The roundtable brought together representatives from ploitative purposes (such as in cases of human trafficking for various government agencies, the criminal justice system, the purpose of forced begging). financial institutions and financial intelligence and supervi- sory authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The aim of the event was to strengthen public–private partnerships and enable strategic data sharing and tactical information exchange.

42 2 Police-related Activities of Field Operations ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

2.1 South-Eastern Europe 2.1.1 Presence in Albania

Introduction

The OSCE Presence in Albania (the Presence) was established in 1997 with a mandate to promote democratization, the rule of law and human rights, as well as to consolidate democratic institutions in line with OSCE principles, standards and commitments. The Presence’s activities focus on the following key priority areas: combating human trafficking; democratization; elections; good governance; gender equality; human rights; media freedom and development; policing; border management; rule of law; youth safety and security; counter-terrorism; and reform and co-operation in the security sector.

Reform of the Albanian State Police (throughout 2023)

In 2023, the Albanian State Police underwent a restructuring, during which several departments were reorganized. For example, the Investigation Sector was returned to the Border and Migration Department in order to strengthen the fight against cross-border crime. In addition, the Cybercrime Investigation Unit was upgraded to a Directorate in response to recent major cyber threats. An Organized Crime Directorate has also been established within the Criminal Police Department. In order to better manage the tourist season and respond to related security challenges, a temporary Maritime Police Unit has been established, consisting of 104 police officers from the Border Police and Public Order Police, who will be deployed along the Albanian coast to co-operate with the Coast Guard.

▶ Empowering communities: Building digital resilience through information sessions; Kukës, Has, Tropojë, Përmet, Tepelenë and Gjirokastër, Albania (November 2023)

In an era in which technology is an integral part of daily life, ensuring the safety and security of our digital landscape has become very important. In an effort to equip families and schools with the tools to navigate the virtual world safely, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a series of information sessions fostering dialogue and raising awareness of online safety and cyber-enabled threats. In partnership with Albania’s National Authority on Online Certification and Cyber Security, Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, and Coordination Centre for Countering Violent Extremism, the Presence implemented six information sessions in Kukës, Has, Tropojë, Përmet, Tepelenë, and Gjirokastër, respectively, with a total of 228 participants, including children, parents, teachers, school security officers, social workers and psychologists.

The sessions presented an overview of the evolving digital landscape, highlighting prevalent cyber threats and the importance of proactive engagement in online safety. Interactive discussions tailored to different age groups allowed children to learn about privacy settings, the importance of strong passwords, and the essence of responsible online behaviour through games and role-playing exercises. Parents explored parental control functions and effective communication strategies. These discussions served as a platform for sharing concerns and insights, thus fostering a support network of caregivers working to create a safer online environment.

“If I had had this information before, my son would certainly not have suffered so much from bullying, because then I would’ve been more cautious and could have recognized his concerns early on,” one of the parents in Has, whose son was a victim of cyberbullying for a year, told the expert.

44 Police-related Activities of Field Operations

The information sessions also helped school staff to inform and educate young people about digital citizenship. They learned about strategies to integrate online safety into extra-curricular activities and embed cybersecurity within their educational communities. ICT teachers in all target schools received information material on cybersecurity to pass this knowledge on to students and parents.

Reflecting on the culmination of these sessions, it is evident that building a safer digital space requires a collective effort. It takes an ecosystem where children, parents, educators and communities come together to discuss the complexities of the online world. These information sessions are a testament to the impact of education, dialogue and collective action in fostering a safer and better-informed digital society.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Mobile training team (MTT) pilot training course on techniques to counter transnational organized crime. The behavioural analysis, interviewing techniques and programme focused on EU legislative instruments and a crisis management; Tirana, Albania platform against high-risk criminal networks operating in the (25–29 September 2023) Western Balkans, financial and criminal investigations, data analysis, the use of special investigative techniques, and links In co-operation with TNTD/BSMU, the Presence trained between corruption and transnational organized crime. practitioners from the Albanian Border and Management Po- lice, the Counter-Terrorism Directorate of the Albanian State Training programme “Synthetic Drugs Trafficking – Police, and the Security Academy in behavioural analysis, in- A Global Growing Threat”; Tirana, Albania terviewing techniques and crisis management. The Presence (27–29 September 2023) also continued to monitor the situation at the borders and organized a series of cross-border meetings facilitating infor- The Presence, in co-operation with the US Department of mation exchange and enhancing co-operation in the region. Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training As- sistance Program (ICITAP), the US Drug Enforcement Ad- Training sessions on cybercrime and the safe use of ministration, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and the internet; Shkodër, Vlorë and Korça, Albania Drug Addiction, and the Belgian Federal Police, organized (31 October–14 November 2023) a training course on synthetic drugs for practitioners from the Albanian State Police. The programme introduced inves- As part of its support to the Albanian State Police, the Pres- tigators to the latest trends in the production, trafficking and ence organized a series of training sessions for police officers distribution of synthetic drugs at the regional and internation- from the local police and regional border and migration direc- al level. It also showcased good practices for investigating torates of Shkodër, Vlorë and Korça. The sessions focused and dismantling organized crime groups involved in the illicit on the security risks associated with the use of the internet, trafficking of synthetic drugs. on increasing cyber security and on conducting open-source investigations.

Training programme on investigation techniques for countering transnational organized crime; Tirana, Albania (26–27 June 2023)

In co-operation with the Belgian Federal Police, the Italian State Police, the Italian Financial Guard and the Italian Ca- rabinieri’s Special Operation Group, the Presence trained members of the Albanian State Police, National Bureau of Investigation and General Prosecution Office in investigative

45 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

2.1.2 Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction

Based in the capital city of Sarajevo, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Mission) relies on its network of nine field offices to fully engage citizens and authorities at all levels-municipal, cantonal, entity, as well as State. To adapt as necessary to social and political developments, the structure of Mission’s field work and activities remains flexible. Six focus areas comprise the Mission’s approach: human rights; education; rule of law; gender equality; democratic governance; and security co-operation.

The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, negotiated in Dayton, Ohio, USA, and signed in Paris, France, in late 1995, shapes the work of the Mission. Dayton established the Mission as one of the bodies responsible for helping to secure lasting peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and thus to build a stable, secure and democratic state.

▶ Working together to prevent and counter violent extremism; various locations, Bosnia and Herzegovina (January–October 2023)

The Mission conducted five tabletop exercises for increasing awareness of the dangers of violent extremism among almost 200 representatives from academia, civil society, the media, religious communities, health and social protection services, and the security and education sectors. Using scenario-based teaching, the participants gained insights into the gradual process of radicalization that can lead to violence and its negative impact on individuals, communities and the country. The practical, evidenced-based exercises highlighted challenges related to foreign terrorist fighters and ethno-nationalism/right-wing extremism. The training exercises equipped the participants with the knowledge to prevent and counter various manifestations of violent extremism in their communities.

A number of the adopted recommendations from the exercises were subsequently also integrated into the Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021–2026 Strategy for Preventing and Combating Terrorism, as well as its related action plans, including those involving the systemic promotion of gender mainstreaming and the meaningful involvement of youth.

In order to make progress on the implementation of the strategy, the Mission partnered with the Ministry of Security, the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior, and the Federation of Inter-Ministerial Working Group for Development and Implementation of the Action Plan for Preventing and Combating Terrorism.

The Head of Administration for Countering Terrorism and Extremism in the Ministry of the Interior Affairs of the Republic of Srpska, Nebojša Tonković, explained that “this project was instrumental in obtaining broad consultation within the country ahead of the development of the new Bosnia and Herzegovina Strategy for Preventing and Combating Terrorism 2021–2026 and corresponding action plans. Projects of this nature contribute significantly to a deeper understanding of violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism, thereby enhancing the co-operation of all stakeholders engaged in implementing these critical policies.”

46 Police-related Activities of Field Operations

Over the course of the past two years, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has conducted twelve tabletop exercises, convening more than 500 participants from diverse backgrounds across the entire country. OSCE

What about firearms? A survey of citizens’ General police development and perceptions and attitudes in Bosnia and reform Herzegovina; across Bosnia and Herzegovina (July–August 2023) Modernizing and upgrading the SALW and The Mission conducted a country-wide survey to assess cit- ammunition storage capacity of law enforcement izens’ attitudes towards the possession and use of firearm agencies; Banja Luka, Bihać, Doboj, Foča, Konjic, and their willingness to hand in weapons as part of amnesty Livno, Lukavac, Prijedor, Zenica, Zvornik, Bosnia campaigns. The survey found that 96% of the respondents and Herzegovina (throughout 2023) believe that improved education on the risks of firearms pos- session is the most effective means for reducing the number With the support of the Mission, ten SALW storage sites of firearms in citizens’ possession, much ahead of introducing across the country were upgraded to enhance their safety stricter regulations and sanctions. The results also found that and security infrastructure. Construction at the locations in 97% of the respondents are not familiar with amnesty cam- question was completed in December 2023, including the paigns for those who hand over illegally held firearms, with installation of intruder-detection system (IDS) equipment. the majority supporting the view that such campaigns should Modernized and upgraded physical storage infrastructure be organized regularly. The survey results were used by law will increase the security and safety of weapon, ammunition enforcement agencies across Bosnia and Herzegovina in the and explosives storage sites, decreasing the likelihood of planning and development of annual communication plans theft, proliferation, misuse, arson, or accidental detonation that focus on prevention and awareness-raising. of stockpiles.

47 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Appointment of contact points for the safety of ed on the draft and considered the Ministry’s strategies and journalists in all police jurisdictions; across Bosnia timelines for enacting the new law. The working group re- and Herzegovina (throughout 2023) quested the Mission’s assistance in educating the Ministry’s police staff and other representatives of the Cantonal Gov- Contact points were established in all police units and public ernment on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s international obliga- prosecutor’s offices across Bosnia and Herzegovina to assist tions after the law’s adoption. journalists in addressing threats they face both online and offline. These contact points provide guidance for reporting incidents to Draft report with recommendations about police the relevant authorities. The OSCE advocates for establishing data recording of hate crimes; Bosnia and or enhancing national data collection, analysis and reporting on Herzegovina (30 March 2023) attacks and violence against journalists, and encourages law enforcement agencies to ensure journalists’ safety. The Mission submitted a draft report with recommendations on police hate crimes data recording to the Ministry of Interior Gender equality project: Capacities and awareness of the Republika Srpska for review and feedback. Produced for the implementation of obligations in combating following a workshop organized by the OSCE in 2022, the gender-based violence; across Bosnia and report informs the Mission’s broader efforts in addressing Herzegovina (throughout 2023) institutional responses to bias-motivated incidents and hate crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Mission initiated political and strategic dialogue with rele- vant authorities at different levels to discuss changes of rele- Capacity-building of police regarding gender-based vant legislation, the standardization of the institutional response violence; Ljubuški, Bosnia and Herzegovina (May 2023) to domestic violence cases, and the regulation of small arms seizures in domestic violence cases. The Mission supported In Ljubuški, the OSCE supported an initiative to enhance the the development of two framework policies for standardizing capacities of the West Herzegovina Canton (WHC) police in the system response to gender-based violence cases and for dealing with victims of gender-based violence. Organized by the reform of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Police the NGO “Novi put” in Mostar at the request of the WHC Academy curricula. The Mission also supported training for Ministry of the Interior, the activity involved representatives in-service police officers on gender-responsive policing. from the courts, the Prosecutor’s Office and social welfare centres. Participants were introduced to aspects of gender- Increasing the awareness of law enforcement sensitive policing and a victim-sensitized approach by the managers and operational staff on intelligence- police in response to cases of violence. led policing (ILP); Sarajevo, Tuzla, Brčko, Zenica, Mostar, Banja Luka, Bihać, Teslić, Tarčin, Vlašić Roundtable on the nexus between freedom of mountain, Bosnia and Herzegovina religion or belief and security; Sarajevo, Bosnia and (January–September 2023) Herzegovina (18 May 2023)

As part of the ExB project “Enhancing Intelligence-led Po- The Mission organized a workshop focusing on the intersecting licing to Combat Serious Security Threats and Crimes”, the issues of freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expres- Mission facilitated workshops across Bosnia and Herzego- sion. The workshop was attended by representatives from reli- vina to increase awareness of ILP principles, requirements gious communities, authorities across all levels of governance, and benefits among managers and operational staff of law security institutions, law enforcement authorities and CSOs. enforcement agencies and institutions. The activity built un- The event introduced the OSCE’s Freedom of Religion or Belief derstanding of and buy-in for the ILP concept, particularly in and Security Guidelines and initiated a dialogue on their applica- terms of its positive impact in addressing organized crime tion within the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants and serious security threats. explored various methods for identifying policies and practices potentially undermining the freedom of religion or belief, free- Meeting with Una-Sana Canton Ministry of Interior dom of expression, or other human rights and freedoms. on the drafting a new cantonal Law on Peaceful Assembly; Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina Presentation of the Guidelines for Media (6 February 2023) Co-operation with the Police; Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (20 May 2023) The Mission convened a session with the Una-Sana Canton Ministry of Interior’s working group charged with formulating The Mission organized a training session for journalists a new Law on Peaceful Assembly. The gathering deliberat- in Banja Luka introducing the OSCE Guidelines for Media

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Co-operation with the Police. Local experts provided in- the Ministry’s steadfast dedication to aligning the draft law sights into relevant international and domestic legal frame- with international norms. works, practices of the European Court of Human Rights, and examples of defending the rights of journalists. The ses- Workshop for Tuzla Canton Ministry of Interior on sion inspired animated discussions and offered journalists elements of corruption criminal offences; Tuzla, the chance to seek advice on specific scenarios, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina (12 June 2023) receiving a summons from a police officer via mobile phone, conducting interviews with the police, the legality of audio At the request of the Tuzla Canton Ministry of Interior, the recording during police interviews, video recording of police Mission facilitated a workshop to enhance police officers’ un- officers on duty, and exercising the right to remain silent. derstanding of corruption and their ability to testify in corrup- tion cases. The workshop focused on the detection and in- Training of civil servants and law enforcement vestigation of corruption offenses. Organized in collaboration authorities in the use of the “Glossary of Audit with the Tuzla Canton Prosecutor’s Office, the training was Terminology”; Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina delivered by their Chief of Anti-Corruption department and (31 May 2023) emphasized peer-to-peer learning. This workshop is part of an ongoing fruitful co-operation between the Mission and Through its trial monitoring in the Republika Srpska, the Mis- Ministry in capacity-building efforts to combat corruption. sion observed that public audit reports detailing potential ir- regular activities seldom lead to criminal investigations, let Increasing the IT capacity and compatibility of law alone indictments. This lack of action was partly attributed to enforcement for criminal intelligence processes and challenges in utilizing these reports, which hinders the initia- analyses; across Bosnia and Herzegovina tion of investigations. To address this, the Mission developed (June–December 2023) a “Glossary of Audit Terminology” in 2022, and conducted workshops in 2023 to train law enforcement, prosecutors As part of the ExB project “Enhancing Intelligence-led Po- and civil servants in using this tool. These efforts enhanced licing to Combat Serious Security Threats and Crimes”, the the capabilities of law enforcement authorities to understand, Mission procured and donated a first package of IT equip- employ, and act on public audit reports. ment and software to law enforcement authorities and in- stitutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The computers and Training programme for Una-Sana Canton Ministry specialized analytical software licenses will enhance criminal of Interior on the freedom of peaceful assembly; intelligence processes and analyses. Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina (5 June 2023) Support to the 9th Police Summer School for Youth The Mission executed a training programme on the freedom in Brčko District; Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina of peaceful assembly specifically designed for the Una-Sana (22–24 August 2023) Ministry of Interior’s representatives, including police adminis- tration chiefs and commanders. The training programme was The Mission supported the 9th Police Summer School for attended by the newly appointed Cantonal Minister of the In- Youth at the Brčko District Police. This year’s summer school terior, alongside the Ministry’s Secretary and the Coordinator brought together participants aged 15 to 35, who participat- for EU Integration at the Office of the Cantonal Prime Minister. ed in three days of theoretical and practical training sessions. This initiative was part of the public consultations concerning The Mission delivered presentations/workshops on funda- the forthcoming Una-Sana Canton Draft Law on Peaceful As- mental freedoms and on hate crimes. The workshops tack- sembly. It provided a platform for the Ministry of Interior to in- led real-life scenarios, including discussions on freedom of vite police representatives to submit additional feedback. expression and hate speech in public spaces. The presenta- tion on hate crimes was particularly well-received, sparking Meeting with Zenica-Doboj Cantonal Minister of discussion among the students and presenters and raising Interior; Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina the young people’s awareness of issues relevant to their local (6 June 2023) communities as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina at large.

The Mission engaged in a discussion with the Minister of Consultative meetings about the integrity of Interior of the Zenica-Doboj Canton and his team to delib- electoral processes; Brčko, Banja Luka, Sarajevo, erate the forthcoming steps towards the adoption of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (September–October 2023) Zenica-Doboj Canton’s Law on Peaceful Assembly. In 2022, the Mission offered feedback on the draft version of the law, The Mission participated in consultative meetings organized advocating for further enhancements. The Minister reiterated by the NGO “Pod lupom” with prosecutors and police con-

49 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

cerning the integrity of elections held in Brčko, Banja Luka Facilitating regular meetings and briefings between and Sarajevo. At these meetings, the Mission shared its find- law enforcement agencies and prosecution services; ings and recommendations for monitoring electoral fraud, Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina (December 2023) contributing to the broader efforts to ensure election fairness in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A workshop, organized under the Mission’s ExB project “En- hancing Intelligence-led Policing to Combat Serious Security Providing expert comments on policing laws in Una– Threats and Crimes”, brought together and enhanced the Sana Canton; Bosnia and Herzegovina co-operation between law enforcement authorities and pros- (9 November 2023) ecution services in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The participants gained an insight into the importance of ILP as well as the use The Ministry of Interior of Una-Sana Canton requested the of criminal intelligence and analyses in criminal proceedings. Mission to provide substantive feedback on two new draft policing laws: the Draft Law on the Ministry of Interior, and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence Draft Law on Police Officials USC. The Mission’s comments campaign; Konjic, Čapljina, Mostar, Bosnia and were tailored to address the circumstances in Una-Sana Herzegovina (December 2023) Canton. To ensure that the draft laws are in line with inter- national standards and principles, the Mission included over During the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Vio- arching comments on record-keeping, appointment of police lence” campaign, the OSCE organized workshops in Konjic, officials, and other substantive areas. Čapljina and Mostar, offering practical guidelines on respond- ing to domestic violence cases. These workshops emphasized Assisting the organization and development of the importance of prompt and effective legal responses and law enforcement criminal intelligence sections, involved members of prosecutors’ offices and the judiciary. analytical units and functions; Sarajevo, Goražde, Livno, Ljubuški, Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina Workshop for the development and monitoring of (November 2023) the implementation of the Protocol of Institutional Conduct in cases of domestic violence in Una–Sana As part of the ExB project “Enhancing Intelligence-led Polic- Canton; Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina ing to Combat Serious Security Threats and Crimes”, with (6 December 2023) the support of international and local consultants, the Mis- sion held working sessions at seven cantonal police agen- The Mission facilitated a workshop for professionals from cies in Bosnia and Herzegovina to provide expertise in es- the Una-Sana Canton centres for social welfare and police tablishing and organizing criminal intelligence sections and stations. Led by a professional advisor and psychologist analytical units. from the Bihać court, the interactive workshop equipped first responders with knowledge on how to effectively support Advancing awareness of SALW misuse in gender- victims of domestic violence, including children. The work- based violence; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina shop used real-life examples and participant engagement to (November 2023) address the psychological development of children and ap- propriate techniques for conducting interviews with children. As part of its ExB project on the control of SALW, the Mis- sion established strategic partnerships with two associations Working group for amendments to the policing laws of women members of the police in Bosnia and Herzego- of Brčko District; Bosnia and Herzegovina vina–the Police Women’s Network and the Republika Srp- (18 December 2023) ska’s Ministry of Internal Affairs Women Network. The Mis- sion mapped the needs of both associations and worked The Mission collaborates closely with law enforcement author- with them in conducting a gender analysis on the misuse of ities on relevant and emerging policing topics. Since 2021, the SALW. The Mission also supported outreach to all levels of Mission has been involved in the drafting process of amend- government and facilitated inter-institutional dialogue on the ments to the Law on Police and Law on Police Officials of gender implications in SALW control as well as the necessity Brčko District by participating in working group meetings and of synchronized and joint actions. offering technical expertise. This collaborative effort is support- ed by members of the international community, including the Office of the High Representative, the EU, and the US Em- bassy to ensure that the amendments align more closely with international standards and to enhance transparency.

50 Police-related Activities of Field Operations

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Support for the development of the 2022–2024 Series of training events for local police on National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering migration-related issues; Banja Luka, Bijeljina, and Financing of Terrorism (NRA ML/TF); Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zvornik and Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina (January–March 2023) (March–September 2023)

The Mission supported authorities in the development of the In co-operation with several UN agencies (UNHCR, IOM, 2022–2024 Bosnia and Herzegovina National Risk Assess- UNDSS, and UNICEF), the Mission collaborated with the ment on Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism. Rep- Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Security Service for For- resentatives from bodies from all levels of government as well eigners to deliver presentations on these agencies’ mandates as the private sector conducted a comprehensive analysis of in protecting and supporting migrants, refugees and asylum the risks related to the system of combating money launder- seekers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Mission highlighted ing and the financing of terrorist activities. The working group its efforts in preventing and combating THB in mixed migra- developed a comprehensive national risk assessment and tion flows and shared findings from monitoring such cases corresponding action plan that link key activities to identified with national judicial institutions. Participants were introduced problems and competent bodies. to gender perspectives and victim-centred approaches in the early identification of potential trafficking victims, including a Support for the development of action plans for the practical checklist to differentiate between human trafficking implementation of the Strategy for Preventing and and migrant smuggling. Combating Terrorism; Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina (January–October 2023) Multi-sectoral training course on differences between smuggling of migrants and trafficking in Following its adoption, the Mission has assisted authorities human beings; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in developing or updating action plans for the implementa- (20–22 March 2023) tion of the Strategy for Preventing and Combating Terrorism. Advocacy efforts by the Mission have led to more inclusive The Mission, in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft working groups comprising representatives from both the für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), conducted a multi- security and non-security sectors. The action plans prioritize sectoral training course for border and security management human rights and the rule of law, with a focus on prevent- professionals on differentiating between the trafficking in ing violent extremism and radicalization through non-securi- human beings and the smuggling of migrants. The OSCE ty sector engagement. Preventive measures included in the Mission to Montenegro supported the participation of Mon- plans focus on media literacy, youth empowerment, gender tenegrin professionals, and provided regional insights and mainstreaming and curbing terrorist activities online. good practices in countering the phenomena. Participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina valued the use of real-case Support for the finalization of the Law on Anti- scenarios and role-play in applying human rights-based, money Laundering and Countering the Financing gender-sensitive, and trauma-informed approaches when of Terrorism; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina dealing with smuggled persons and trafficking victims. (January–December 2023) Strengthening the capacity of law enforcement, The Mission provided extensive support to Bosnia and Her- social workers, psychologists and lawyers in human zegovina authorities and the working group finalizing the rights and anti-discrimination; Neum, Bosnia and Draft Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Herzegovina (29–30 May 2023) Financing of Terrorism. The working group brought togeth- er representatives of various Ministries, institutions of Brčko The OSCE and the EU co-hosted a workshop for profes- District, as well as the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina sionals to prevent and fight discrimination as part of the “EU and Republika Srpska banking agencies, the State Investi- for human rights and anti-discrimination in Bosnia and Her- gation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and the Directorate for zegovina” project. The workshop bolstered the capacity of European Integration. protection providers in identifying discrimination.

51 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Training courses for law enforcement officers temporary seizure of registered firearms following a report of on community policing and P/CVERLT; Sarajevo, domestic violence. The proposals were considered and in- Bosnia and Herzegovina (13 June 2023) corporated into the final recommendations submitted to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers for adoption. In co-operation with the Brčko District Police, the Mission organized training course for Brčko District police officers on Anti-discrimination forum meeting; Trebinje, Bosnia the community-policing model in P/CVERLT. After the train- and Herzegovina (29 September 2023) ing course, police officers were able to distinguish between the different forms and manifestations of VERLT, understand The OSCE organized an anti-discrimination forum meeting the process of radicalization into violence and the gender to discuss gender-based and domestic violence, particularly dynamics in violent extremist groups, as well as employ ap- femicide. The meeting was attended by signatories to the proaches to address VERLT in communities. The training “Protocol on proceedings in cases of domestic violence in course also focused on the basic concepts of community the City of Trebinje” and facilitated data sharing on reported policing, improving public perceptions of police, and devel- domestic violence cases. oping partnerships with the community. Training courses on detecting terrorist travel; Victim-centred approaches in criminal-legal Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (24–26 October, responses to gender-based violence; Goražde, 30–31 October 2023) Bosnia and Herzegovina (26 June 2023) To bolster the capacities of authorities charged with disrupt- To address gaps in domestic violence proceedings in Bos- ing terrorist travel, the Mission organized specialized training nia-Podrinje Canton, the Mission facilitated a workshop courses to enhance the capacity of border police officers to focusing on victim-centred approaches in criminal-legal re- effectively address the threat of terrorism in accordance with sponses to gender-based violence. The workshop was at- rule of law and human rights standards. The training course tended by representatives from the police, judiciary, social focused on the detection of forged travel documents using welfare services and civil society. The participants discussed relevant databases to detect and prevent terrorist travel, and challenges in co-operating and strategies to improve re- to profile and identify potential terrorists (including FTFs). Us- sponses to such incidents. ing case studies, the participants also discussed the impor- tance of multi-agency co-operation and the timely exchange Training course on hate crimes for the Prijedor of information in the disruption of terrorist travel. Police Administration; Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina (30 June 2023) Training course on the identification and processing of hate crimes for the Brčko District Police; Brčko, In co-operation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Re- Bosnia and Herzegovina (29 November 2023) publika Srpska, the Mission facilitated a hate crimes train- ing course for police officers and prosecutors in Prijedor. Through its trial monitoring program and interactions with the The training course stressed the importance of immediate police in Brčko District, the Mission observed several bias- law enforcement responses and raised awareness for the motivated incidents and noted that police procedures for security implications of such incidents. The training course handling such cases frequently do not align with applicable enhanced the participants’ understanding of hate crimes and criminal legislation. To enhance police practices, the Mission the relevant legal framework, as well as their ability to identify facilitated a training course for officers on differentiating bias- and investigate such offenses, highlighting the importance of motivated crimes from ordinary crimes. prevention and the police’s role in local communities.

Supporting harmonization of laws on firearms; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (September–December 2023)

The Mission supported the working group established by the Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Security to harmonize existing firearms laws, both mutually and with the relevant EU acquis. During several sessions, the Mission advocated for and eventually put forward a set of recommendations relating to firearm deactivation and the mandatory, immediate and

52 Police-related Activities of Field Operations

2.1.3 Mission in Kosovo

Introduction

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo (the Mission) is mandated with the protection and promotion of human and community rights, as well as with democratization and public safety sector development. Building on past support and progress achieved, further capacity-building and strategic improvements of the public safety and security sector, in line with best international practices, remain among the main priorities of the Mission.

▶ Join the police! Encouraging young women and men from non-majority communities to consider careers in law enforcement; Gračanica/Graçanicë, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Štrpce/Shtërpcë, Gjilan/Gnijlane, Prizren, Pejë/Peć (10–17 May 2023)

In May 2023, the Mission supported the Kosovo4 Police (KP) to reach out to non-majority communities by facilitating introductory workshops for young men and women, presenting them with available employment opportunities in law enforcement and encouraging them to apply to become police officers. These workshops gathered young people from diverse backgrounds, including Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Bosniak, Kosovo Turk, Kosovo Roma, Kosovo Ashkali and Kosovo Egyptian communities. During the campaign, young people were introduced to recruitment procedures, with a specific focus on on the application process and selection criteria. The participants also learned about professional police training courses and the importance of police work in the communities they serve.

As a direct result of the campaign, 74 successful applicants from non-majority communities graduated and were deployed for duty in the KP Regional Directorate Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North. This and other campaigns supported by the Mission have been highly successful over recent years in increasing the share of applicants and police cadets from non-majority communities. Thanking the Mission in her note to Ambassador Davenport, Colonel Taibe Canolli stated that “the KP Department for Human Resources has developed an action plan for implementing this process, which is supported by the OSCE and is realized in co-ordination between the KP, OSCE, and all regional police directorates in a professional and efficient manner.”

The Mission is committed to continue to help the KP in attracting young applicants from all communities to join the force.

4 All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text should be understood in full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

53 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Young men and women from non-majority communities listen to presentations on employment opportunities with the Kosovo Police; workshop organized with the support of the OSCE Mission. Gračanica/Graçanicë, 10 May 2023. OSCE/Bylent Ribari

General police development and reform

Workshops in support of Municipal Coordination Drafting action plans for Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Novo Brdo/ Mechanisms against Domestic Violence (MCMDVs); Novobërdë and Kamenica/Kamenicë MCMDVs; (throughout 2023) Re-establishment of the Pejë/Peć MCMDV; Holding MCMDV sessions in Dragash/Dragaš, Podu- The Mission supported Municipal Coordination Mechanisms jevë/Podujevo and Klinë/Klina municipalities. against Domestic Violence (MCMDVs) through various activ- ities in 2023: Workshop to support the Kosovo Probation Service Drafting the 2023 work plan for two directorates of (KPS) in unifying reporting forms; Prishtinë/Priština the Prishtinë/Priština MCMDV; (31 January–2 February 2023) Establishing MCMDVs in Novo Brdo/Novobërdë and Štrpce/Shtërpcë municipalities; The Mission organized a workshop with the senior manage- Supporting members of the Mamuşa/Mamushë/ ment and regional directors of the KPS to review and unify Mamuša MCMDV to observe the meeting of the Dra- the reporting forms used by the agency. A working group gash/Dragaš Mechanism; comprised of senior managers of the KPS, as well as rep- Drafting the Municipal Action Plan against Domes- resentatives of the OSCE Mission and the European Union tic Violence 2023–2025 of the Hani i Elezit/Elez Han Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) revised and unified MCMDV; the external and internal reporting forms used to report to Drafting the 2024–2026 Action Plan against Domestic prosecution bodies and courts. Violence of the Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje MCMDV;

54 Police-related Activities of Field Operations

Workshop to finalize the Kosovo Correctional and KP officers from the Prishtinë/Priština and Mitrovicë/Mi- Service (KCS) administrative instructions; Prishtinë/ trovica South regions. Priština (6–10 February 2023) Training activity for forensic officers; Prishtinë/ A workshop for KCS senior managers and directors of correc- Priština (27 February–3 March 2023) tional institutions was used to review and finalize three admin- istrative instructions deriving from the newly approved Law on Officials of the Kosovo Agency on Forensics (KAF) and of- Correctional Service. The working group revised the adminis- ficers of KP Forensic Unit completed an advanced training trative instructions on Corrections Housekeeping Rules and course on the newest forensic techniques and methods on Disciplinary Procedure for Inmates. In addition, the working for examining latent and patent fingerprints found at crime group drafted a new Administrative Instruction on the Establish- scenes. ment and Functionality of the Economic Unit within the KCS. Seminars on the units for protection, rescue Workshops on the revised disaster risk assessment for and assistance for local and central institutions; local entities; Prishtinë/Priština (9, 21 February 2023) Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South and Skenderaj/Srbica (8, 21 March 2023) The Mission supported the Kosovo Emergency Management Agency (EMA) in facilitating workshops to introduce the re- The Emergency Management Agency (EMA) facilitated two vised document on disaster risk assessment to participants seminars to present Regulation No. 18/2015 on the Organiza- representing local public safety committees (LPSCs), the tion of Structure Units for Protection, Rescue and Assistance Kosovo Police (KP), the EMA and municipal officials from for Local and Central Institutions in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South Prishtinë/Priština and Podujevë/Podujevo municipalities. The and Skenderaj/Srbica. Participants representing LPSCs, the workshops focused on increasing the awareness of disas- KP, the EMA and municipal officials were able to develop legal ter risk assessment at a local level and involved local gov- structures for their respective municipalities covering preven- ernments and community safety forums. In addition, EMA tion, preparedness, reaction and recovery. The discussions experts explained the process of emergency management, also focused on challenges and the lack of human and mate- roles and responsibilities of relevant actors at a local, regional rial resources in responding to natural disasters. and central level, along with community members’ roles in supporting communities in emergencies through a holistic Training activity on the prevention of conflict of approach and effective collaboration. interest; online (13–17 March 2023)

Workshop to finalize the KPS’s regulation of job The Mission facilitated an online training activity on the pre- systematization; Prishtinë/Priština vention of conflict of interest for KP chiefs and investigators (20–24 February 2023) of internal KP investigation units in all police regions and headquarters, as well as for a representative from the Integri- A five-day workshop supported by the Mission gave senior ty Section of the KP Professional Standards Directorate. The management and regional directors of the KPS the opportunity training activity covered current legislation on conflict of inter- to review and finalize the Regulation on Internal Organization est, the potential impact of conflict of interest, on police work and Systematization of Jobs in accordance with the latest le- and how it is perceived by the public, and legal mechanisms gal amendments. The KPS working group members and rep- in place to prevent related conflicts. Through several case resentatives of the Mission and EULEX finalized the instruction studies and practical exercises, participants explored various regulating the internal structure of the Service and the number types of conflict of interest and their consequences. of staff members, as well as the responsibilities and tasks as- signed to each regional directorate, department and unit within Workshop on the Protocol for Treatment of Sexual the KPS structure. Participants also reviewed all job descriptions Violence Cases; Prishtinë/Priština (22 March 2023) for officers and heads of units and departments of the KPS. The Forum of Women Judges and Prosecutors held a work- Revitalization training for local public safety shop on the new Protocol for Treatment of Sexual Violence committees (LPSCs); Gjilan/Gnjilane and Prishtinë/ Cases. The Protocol provides a framework for a consist- Priština (23 February, 18 May 2023) ent, comprehensive and accountable institutional response to cases of sexual abuse and sexual violence, and defines The Mission supported the KP in organizing training work- the roles and responsibilities of institutions involved in pro- shops on partnership building and problem solving for new viding services to survivors/victims. Panelists from the judici- members of existing LPSCs, including community members ary, prosecution, KP, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Victims’

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Advocacy and Assistance Office (VAAO) and the Prishtinë/ Training course for KCS officers on hostage Priština shelter for victims of domestic violence discussed negotiation situations in prisons; Vushtrri/Vučitrn the implications of the Protocol for the institutional response (24–28 April 2023) to sexual violence cases. The Mission delivered a training course on negotiations dur- Training course on tax evasion and the informal ing possible hostage-taking situations to KCS officers at the economy; Prishtinë/Priština (28–29 March 2023) Correctional Centre in Smrekonicë/Smrekonica. The training course enhanced the participants’ skills in handling crisis/ The Mission conducted a training course on tax evasion and hostage negotiation cases and included information on the informal economy to acquaint participants of the KP, the main responsibilities of a crisis/hostage negotiator as well as Kosovo Tax Administration (KTA), customs, and the Agency the key rules of negotiation. for Prevention of Corruption (APC) with tax legislation, legisla- tive amendments and modi operandi in relation to tax evasion Training for LPSCs and the community on disaster and the smuggling of goods. Participants also learned about risk reduction; Vushtrri/Vučitrn (25–28 April 2023) the extent of the informal and grey economy in Kosovo and engaged in different case studies and practical exercises. As part of a training course for representatives of LPSCs, municipal community safety councils (MCSCs) and commu- Training workshops on preventing and fighting nity members from Prishtinë/Priština and Podujevë/Poduje- trafficking in human beings (THB) for the Association vo municipalities, participants learned about risk assessment of Women in Kosovo Police (AWKP); Prishtinë/ protection structures, local level rescue and help, principles Priština and Gjakovë/Djakovica (5, 19 April 2023) and integrated systems of emergency management, basic fire theory, and the use of fire extinguishing equipment. The Mission facilitated training workshops aimed at KP of- ficers and members of the AWKP regarding their roles in Workshops for students, teachers and parent preventing and fighting THB. The training focused on victim councils on preventing extremism and radicalization; identification as an essential element in addressing THB. The Viti/Vitina, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, Kaçanik/ participants were also taught how to manage information re- Kačanik and Podujevë/Podujevo lated to THB and where to refer suspected cases and pre- (25 April–2 May 2023) sumed victims of THB. The Mission supported the KP in organizing workshops to Training on community policing for new LPSCs; increase the awareness of prevention strategies related to Prishtinë/Priština (5–20 April 2023) violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (VERLT) for students, teachers, psychologists, pedagogues, The Mission facilitated training sessions on community polic- Parent Councils, and representatives from municipal directo- ing for members of LPSCs, who learned about building part- rates of education (MDEs) for pre-university schools in Koso- nerships and problem solving. To help new LPSC members vo. The participants explored the motives of young people identify and effectively address community safety issues, the getting involved with extremism and going through the rad- Mission also supported them in organizing community meet- icalization process, including the “push” and “pull” factors ings to reach out and establish relationships with their com- associated with why people might be drawn towards VERLT. munities, municipality officials, the police and other partners. Workshop on the KPS regulation on internal Roundtable with institutions on domestic violence; organization and systematization of jobs; Prishtinë/ Gjilan/Gnjilane (24 April 2023) Priština (2–4 May 2023)

The Mission supported a roundtable discussion on domes- A workshop for the senior management and regional direc- tic violence cases involving various regional stakeholders in tors of the KPS focused on the criteria and time constraints Gjilan/Gnjilane. The participants discussed the challenges of reporting on persons on conditional release. In addition, faced in handling domestic violence cases and raised con- the working group discussed the content of the individual cerns such as a lack of infrastructure and personnel to effec- supervision programme for persons subject to probation tively address such cases. processes.

56 Police-related Activities of Field Operations

Seminars for young police officers on their role in Advanced training course on witness and whistle- building confidence and satisfaction in policing; blower protection for the Police Inspectorate of Prishtinë/Priština, Prizren, Gjilan/Gnjilane and Pejë/ Kosovo (PIK); Prishtinë/Priština (22–26 May 2023) Peć (3–11 May 2023) An advanced training course equipped members of the PIK A series of seminars for young police officers focused on with skills and knowledge in the effective handling of witness- their role in building confidence and satisfaction in policing. es and an awareness of good practices in the protection of The young police officers were acquainted with model key whistle-blowers. Police inspectors learned how to effectively drivers and their impact, as well as police actions that affect deal with cases of corruption and improper behaviour of po- the community policing model. The seminars, led by the Mis- lice officers. The training covered the relevant provisions of sion and KP experts, also familiarized participants with the the Criminal Procedure Code. programme principles, including the use of victim packs and awareness materials that have been produced and delivered Workshop to enhance intra-departmental to the KP through Mission’s support. Co-operation regarding intelligence; Prizren (23–25 May 2023) First annual meeting of police forensic examiners; Prishtinë/Priština (11 May 2023) The Mission supported the KP in conducting a workshop to finalize its SOP for “Cooperation between the Directorate KP forensics examiners and investigators from the central for International Law Enforcement Cooperation (ILECU) and and regional police levels met to discuss the 2022 report on Department for Intelligence and Analysis (DIA)” in accord- achievements in forensic services and to share challenges ance with the Integrated Intelligence-led and Community encountered in their daily work. The meeting was the first of Policing Strategy and Action Plan 2021–2025. The purpose its nature and served as a platform for the KP management of the SOP is to enhance the co-operation, co-ordination to present their priorities and plans for the further develop- and standardization of communication between the DIA and ment of KP forensic capabilities. ILECU.

Training course on electronic procurement for the Training course on the use of artificial intelligence in AWKP; Prizren (16–17 May 2023) strategic communication; Pejë/Peć (26–28 May 2023)

A training course on electronic procurement and public pro- A training course on artificial intelligence (AI) for representa- curement principles for police employees provided practical tives of the MoIA, Kosovo Academy for Public Safety (KAPS), examples and case studies to illustrate the advantages and KP, Police Inspectorate of Kosovo (PIK), the EMA and the challenges in implementing online procurement, which helped KCS introduced the use of prompt engineering, a process participants learn about differences between traditional and used to shape responses from AI applications. Participants online procurement, as well as the benefits and processes of learned how law enforcement authorities can use large lan- online procurement. Participants learned how to define require- guage models (LLMs) to enhance their operations and deci- ments, establish long-term contracts and evaluate criteria. sion-making processes by extracting and analysing informa- tion from large volumes of text data, such as police reports, Presentation of the 2021 hate crime victimization legal documents and online sources. survey and review of implementation of the Cooperation Agreement on Treating Hate Crimes; Inter-cultural fora for young people from different Prishtinë/Priština (19 May 2023) communities; Prizren (26–28 May and 8–10 September 2023) A roundtable discussed the findings of the victimization sur- vey on hate crimes conducted in 2021, as well as progress in Two inter-cultural fora enhanced the multi-ethnic relation- implementing the Cooperation Agreement on Treating Hate ship among youth from different communities and improved Crimes in Kosovo. The event gathered representatives from their communication and co-operation. The events gathered the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA), the KP, the Chief Pros- young people from Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo ecutor’s Office, the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC), the Om- Bosniak and Kosovo Roma communities, police officers and budsperson Institution (OI), the Office of Good Governance LPSC members. The participants learned about advocacy (OGG) in the Office of the Prime Minister, and two CSOs. and negotiation skills, and were also taught by KP officers The Mission presented the methodology and findings of the about the prevention of drug abuse, domestic violence, hate victimization survey focusing on hate crimes. crime and discrimination.

57 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Training-of-trainers (ToT) on individual need training prompted constructive interaction among partici- assessments for victims of hate crime; Vushtrri/ pants based on their experiences and strengthened inter Vučitrn (30 May–1 June 2023) agency co-operation.

The Mission, in co-operation with ODIHR, delivered a ToT Training course on decision analysis and problem on individual need assessments for victims of hate crimes. A solving for the KP; Prishtinë/Priština group of KP officers and a CSO representative learned about (19–23 June 2023) the sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime victims. They were also introduced to the need assessment process The Mission conducted a training course on decision analy and discussed the types of information that can be collected sis and problem solving for investigators of the KP Internal by law enforcement officers. Investigations Directorate. During the course, police inves- tigators improved their skills in analysing information and Training course on interview techniques in internal intelligence, and learned about decision-making methodol- police investigations; Vushtrri/Vučitrn ogies. The investigators improved their ability to assess and (5–9 June 2023) manage risks efficiently and effectively through case analysis exercises. The Mission delivered a training course on techniques for interviewing law enforcement officers to investigators of the Series of training courses among religious KP Internal Investigations Directorate. During the training, communities and members of MCSCs on preventing participants learned about the goals of and techniques used security incidents; Gjilan/Gnjilane, Istog/Istok and in interviews and interrogations through practical exercises, Obiliq/Obilić (20–26 June 2023) based on the PEACE (preparation and planning, engage and explain, account, clarify and challenge, closure, and evalua- The Mission conducted training courses on the prevention tion) interviewing method. of security incidents for participants from MCSCs, religious representatives and the KP. As part of the training initiative, Community Safety Week; Prishtinë/Priština, Gjilan/ the participants had the opportunity to identify steps to en- Gnjilane, Ferizaj/Uroševac, Pejë/Peć, Gjakovë/ hance regular reporting and co-operation in their respective Djakovica, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South, Gračanica/ municipalities. Graçanicë, Prizren and Junik (5–14 June, 25 July 2023) Workshops for young people to follow up on the intercultural youth forum; Gračanica/Graçanicë and The Mission supported the KP and LPSCs in organizing the Pejë/Peć (21 June, 18 October 2023) “Community Safety Week”, during which the LPSCs and KP informed the general public about the roles and responsibil- The Mission facilitated workshops with participants from ities of LPSCs, highlighting the importance of public–police Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Bosniak and Koso- co-operation and the involvement of residents in communi- vo Roma communities, together with members of LPSCs ty safety initiatives. The events were covered by local media from the Gračanica/Graçanicë, Junik and Pejë/Peć mu- and included a quiz for young students, partnership-building nicipalities, and KP officers. As part of the workshops, the activities, and the distribution of brochures and leaflets on participants delivered presentations on crime prevention and domestic violence, traffic safety, school safety, drug abuse the strengthening of police–public partnerships, bullying, and emergency management. fake news, victim protection, cyber security, drug abuse and school safety, among other topics. Advanced training course on public procurement and institutional integrity; Prishtinë/Priština Roundtable discussion on interviewing juvenile (19–20 June 2023) victims; Prizren (26 June 2023)

The Mission organized an advanced training course on pub- A roundtable discussion on interviewing juvenile victims for lic procurement and institutional integrity for participants from judges and prosecutors overseeing and prosecuting juve- the KP, prosecution bodies, the KTA, and the APC. The par- nile offenses, as well as professional associates, KP officers, ticipants gained insights into issues such as the detection members of the VAAO and the Centre for Social Work (CSW) of pitfalls in terms of references, mistakes in procurement in Prizren examined methodologies and interview techniques documentation, as well as errors in the formation of contract appropriate for juvenile victims of crime during police inter- services and commissions. Case studies used during the views and judicial proceedings.

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Workshops to support the bi-annual revision of the Training course for senior police officers on Integrated Intelligence-Led and Community Policing mentoring and coaching; Vushtrri/Vučitrn Strategy and Action Plan; Prishtinë/Priština (10–13 July 2023) (30 June, 20 December 2023) In close collaboration with the United Kingdom College of Po- The Mission organized two workshops to support the KP licing, the Mission organized a training course on mentoring in facilitating bi-annual implementation reviews of the Inte- and coaching for senior KP officers, including station com- grated Intelligence-Led and Community Policing Strategy manders, deputy station commanders and shift supervisors. and Action Plan 2021–2025. Participants from the KP, US The training course provided participants with the knowledge Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative and skills to unlock the professional potential of young po- Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) and the PIK highlight- lice women and men, and prepare them to discharge their ed collaboration between the KP and their partners, resulting responsibilities based on the OSCAR (outcomes, situation, in improved operational outcomes based on enhanced ICT choices, action and review) method. infrastructure, more efficient processing of intelligence, re- source expansion and increased central monitoring. Training activity on firearms-related blood stain pattern analysis; Prishtinë/Priština (17–21 July 2023) Workshop on drafting and reviewing KCS operational internal sub-legal acts; Prishtinë/Priština A training course on firearm-related blood stain pattern anal- (3–5 July 2023) ysis allowed KP investigators and KAF examiners to advance their understanding of crime scene examinations. Through A workshop for the senior management of the KCS enabled practical exercises, participants learned about the documen- them to review and finalize two internal regulations concern- tation, interpretation and evaluation of bloodstain patterns ing the responsibilities of individuals and institutions when found at crime scenes. entering into employment agreements, as well as one on the procedures for inmate escorting and transportation to and ToT on risk assessments and safety planning for from courts and hospitals. domestic violence cases; Vushtrri/Vučitrn (17–21 July 2023) Workshop to evaluate the implementation of recommendations on school system safety; Prizren A ToT on risk assessment of domestic violence cases in- (3–5 July 2023) structed participants in the use of victim interviewing tech- niques and provided detailed guidance on the preparation The Mission supported the Ministry for Education, Science, of safety plans and safe referrals to other service providers. Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), MDEs, school author- The course also covered the importance of applying a risk ities and the KP in organizing a workshop to evaluate the assessment checklist during the handling of domestic vio- implementation of recommendations of the study on school lence cases. system safety conducted throughout Kosovo in 2022. The workshop facilitated dialogue and information sharing Workshop to draft the Regulation for the among the participants. Some of the key topics discussed Organization and Systematization of Workplaces in included enhancing security during student transportation, the KP; Prishtinë/Priština (14–18 August 2023) implementing protective mechanisms near schools, in- specting nearby premises, and maintaining adequate street The Mission assisted the KP in conducting a workshop to lighting. draft the Regulation for the Organization and Systematiza- tion of Workplaces within the KP. This initiative aligns with Advanced training course on Amped FIVE software the newly approved KP Organizational Structure and the re- for forensics investigators; Prishtinë/Priština sponsibilities outlined in the legislative agenda for drafting by- (4–7 July 2023) laws. During the workshop, participants representing the KP inter-departmental working group and the MoIA cross-exam- Forensics investigators of the KP benefited from an ad- ined the content of the Regulation and amended it based on vanced training course on Amped FIVE software used for the good practices and experiences. forensic examination of images and for video enhancement. The training course covered image and video generation, processing and enhancement, with a specific emphasis on analysing surveillance footage.

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Advanced training activity on handling informants Workshops for police officers on women’s rights, for the PIK; Prishtinë/Priština (4–8 September 2023) access to justice and security; Prishtinë/Priština, Pejë/Peć, Gjilan/Gnjilane and Prizren An advanced training activity on handling informants (19, 21, 26, 28 September 2023) equipped senior investigators of the PIK with good practices in informant management, overcoming common challenges A series of workshops for new KP officers brought togeth- in handling informants and confidentiality, as well as protect- er representatives from the VAAO, Centres for Social Work ing informants’ identities. (CSWs) and the KP to encourage and support access to the justice system for women. The activity highlighted the roles Meetings of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption of the respective actors involved in cases of violence against (APC) with the Office of the Co-ordinator of the women (VAW) and gender-based violence (GBV), and pro- OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities vided an overview of challenges and good practices. Empha- (OCEEA) and Austrian Federal Bureau of Anti- sis was placed on the role of multi-sectorial partnerships and Corruption (BAK); Vienna, Austria the importance of professional victim-based investigations at (12–13 September 2023) all stages.

The Mission organized meetings for representatives of the Workshop to review the Kosovo risk assessment APC with the OCEEA and the Austrian BAK to discuss good document; Prizren (26–28 September 2023) practices in corruption prevention and to exchange ideas for capacity-building activities to enhance transparency and ac- A workshop allowed a working group of specialists and sub- countability in the public sector. All parties agreed to enhance ject matter experts to review and finalize the Kosovo Risk their co-operation, particularly in the prevention of corruption Assessment of Natural Disasters and Other Disasters. The among young people. group included representatives from the EMA, the KP, the Ministries of health, education, justice and environment, the Workshops on the proportional use of force; energy sector, and the Prishtinë/Priština Directorate for Safe- Prishtinë/Priština, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pejë/Peć, Prizren, ty and Emergencies (DSE). Central to the workshop was the Ferizaj/Uroševac, Gjakovë/Djakovica, Mitrovicë/ drafting of scenarios based on identified risks, since running Mitrovica South (15 September–13 October 2023) regular practical exercises to test each scenario is para- mount to ensuring Kosovo’s readiness throughout a disaster In co-operation with the PIK, the KP Department for Internal management cycle. Investigation and the KP Commission for Treating Cases of Use of Force, the Mission facilitated regional workshops on Regional training sessions on risk assessment the proportional use of force for police officers. The partici- and safety planning for domestic violence cases; pants recommended involving judges and prosecutors in this Gjilan/Gnjilane, Prishtinë/Priština, Pejë/Peć, Ferizaj/ type of workshop in the future. Uroševac, Gjakovë/Djakovica, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica and Prizren (27 September–19 October 2023) Kosovo Para Sport Games 2023; Vushtrri/Vučitrn (16–17 September 2023) Regional training sessions on risk assessment and safety planning for victims of domestic violence were delivered by The Mission supported the Kosovo Academy for Public Safe- by Mission-trained police trainers. During the sessions, the ty (KAPS) and the Kosovo Paralympics Committee (KPC) in trainers taught lessons on risk assessments through case organizing the 2023 Kosovo Para Sport Games, which gath- scenarios to KP officers. ered para-athletes and their family members from all commu- nities and cultural backgrounds. This inclusive event provid- Workshop on inter-institutional Co-operation in ed young people with an opportunity to socialize, compete domestic violence cases; Prishtinë/Priština and become familiar with the work of police officers. The (2 October 2023) tournament engaged para-athletes in 13 para-sports activ- ities, including a wheelchair run, wheelchair basketball, sit- Organized in co-operation with the Prishtinë/Priština Basic ting handball, goal-ball, chess, boccia, table tennis, and tug Court and Basic Prosecution Office, a workshop in Prishtinë/ of war, with teams and individual para-sport winners being Priština on inter-institutional co-operation in domestic vio- awarded cups and medals by the Mission. The Prime Min- lence cases gathered participants from judicial and non-judi- ister officially opened the games and participated in several cial institutions to discuss procedures for handling domestic para-sports activities with para-athletes. violence cases and the main challenges to inter-institutional

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co-operation. One of the challenges discussed during the focused on identifying users, the consequences of drug ad- workshop was the lack of treatment options for defendants diction, as well as common mistakes in treating users. suffering from mental health issues. Workshops on the prevention of juvenile Training course on disaster risk reduction for delinquency; Prishtinë/Priština, Prizren, Pejë/Peć members of LPSCs; Vushtrri/Vučitrn and Gjilan/Gnjilane (18 October–3 November 2023) (2–4 October 2023) The Mission supported the KP in organizing workshops on A tailored training course on community risk resilience for strengthening co-operation between institutions dealing with participants representing LPSCs and MCSCs from the mu- the prevention of juvenile delinquency in Kosovo. The events nicipalities of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South and Skenderaj/Srbi- hosted police officers, prosecutors for juveniles, represent- ca focused on fire rescue and help at the local level, the prin- atives of MDEs and CSWs, and probation officers. These ciples of integrated emergency management systems, the workshops aimed to embed and enhance a partnership ap- basic theory of fire, fire extinguishing equipment, and more. proach in addressing issues related to juvenile delinquency in a sustainable and multi-institutional manner. Regional training workshops on individual need assessments for victims of hate crime; Gjilan/ Support for the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety Gnjilane, Prishtinë/Priština, Pejë/Peć, Ferizaj/ (KAPS) to integrate international practices into Uroševac, Gjakovë/Djakovica, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica training and education programmes; Vushtrri/Vučitrn South, Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North and Prizren and Prishtinë/Priština (23–27 October 2023) (5 October–30 November 2023) The Mission supported the Kosovo Academy for Public Training workshops acquainted participants from different Safety (KAPS) in hosting a delegation from the United States’ communities with the concept of hate crimes, the techniques North Carolina Justice Academy (NCJA). During the visit, of developing an individual need assessment, and the sensitive the KAPS and the NCJA agreed on a common approach to and respectful treatment of hate crime victims to avoid sec- career development, training, and education for public safe- ondary victimization. The case scenarios introduced during the ty agencies. The two academies also agreed to exchange training workshop prompted participants to discuss bias indi- expertise in developing vocational professional curricula at cators and map service providers for victims of hate crimes. different levels. The KAPS and the NCJA delegations visited the MoIA as well as public safety institutions. Workshop to prepare the Prishtinë/Priština Directorate for Safety and Emergencies (DSE) 2024 Advanced training course on drafting analytical Strategy and Work Plan; Obiliq/Obilić reports; Prizren (23–27 October 2023) (9–10 October 2023) MoIA officials took part in an advanced training course on The Mission supported the DSE in organizing a workshop drafting analytical reports. Intensive and advanced training to prepare the 2024 Strategy and Work Plan. The workshop sessions taught participants to draft analytical reports based gathered participants from the city administration, firefight- on established methodologies for data collection and anal- ers, the Red Cross, paramedics, the KP, MCSCs, LPSCs ysis. They participated in small group exercises, which in- and the Kosovo Force (KFOR). The DSE presented its or- troduced the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, rel- ganizational structure and mission to build a safer future for evant and time-bound) objectives and the FINER (feasible, all communities through effective partnerships between local interesting, novel, ethical and relevant) research framework. governments, emergency services, the private sector, law enforcement agencies and residents. Campaign focusing on the prevention of drug abuse in primary and secondary schools; Pejë/Peć Workshops with school personnel on the (23 October–7 December 2023) identification of narcotics; Lipjan/Lipljane and Prishtinë/Priština (17, 26 October 2023) A campaign focusing on the prevention of drug abuse target- ed young students from Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Ashkali The Mission supported the KP in organizing workshops to and Kosovo Bosniak communities at nine primary and sec- enable teachers, professors, psychologists, pedagogues, ondary local schools. The initiative disseminated knowledge and representatives of MDEs from pre-university schools in about the effects of illegal drugs and negative consequences Kosovo to identify different types of narcotics. The workshop of drug-taking for young people.

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16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence Meeting of the Prishtinë/Priština Directorate for events; (November, December 2023) Safety and Emergencies (DSE) to draft the Capital City Parks Security Plan; Prishtinë/Priština, Kosovo The Mission supported various events and initiatives as part (13–14 November 2023) of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” of 2023: The Mission supported the DSE of Prishtinë/Priština in or- Two alumni from the Youth Academy visited schools ganizing a strategic meeting to draft the Capital City Parks in rural areas and carried out a campaign to raise Security Plan for participants representing the city adminis- awareness of domestic and gender-based violence tration, firefighters, the KP, the parks administration, and the in Pejë/Peć; Alpine Club. The plan is intended to reduce the number of High-school students in Gjilan/Gnjilane organized an offences occurring in and around parks. These offences in- activity that focused on gender equality and featured clude criminal damage to pathways, trees and buildings and a Mission presentation on gender-based violence; parked vehicles, vehicle theft, illegal logging, and others. Pro- Municipal co-ordination mechanisms against do- visional prevention measures agreed during the meeting in- mestic violence (MCMDV) members met in Vushtrri/ cluded an increase in the number of police patrols, additional Vučitrn to draft an action plan to support survivors of street lighting, the installation of CCTV cameras, information domestic violence in the municipality; kiosks with trained first aiders, and an increase in the number Members of the Podujevë/Podujevo MCMDV dis- of park wardens. cussed challenges and needs to improve the support for families affected by domestic violence; Workshop to finalize the Risk Assessment; Prishtinë/ MCMDV raised awareness among secondary school Priština (15–17 November 2023) students from three different schools in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje. The students discussed in- A workshop for a working group of subject matter experts stitutional roles and responsibilities in countering do- reviewed and finalized the “Risk Assessment of Natural Dis- mestic and gender-based violence; asters and Other Disasters”. Representatives from the EMA, The Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje MCMDV co-ordina- government ministries of internal affairs, local government tor organized the roundtable discussion “Today and administration, environment, finance, justice, and economy, every other day – Stop the violence”, with participants KP, Red Cross, energy sector, and other relevant entities from various authorities and social organizations to identified risks, contingencies and preventive measures for enhance and strengthen collaboration among local their respective fields based on the emergency management stakeholders supporting victims of domestic and integrated system’s principles. All identified risks, contingen- gender-based violence; cies for different scenarios, and prevention measures will be A workshop on policies and laws in the fight against collated into one Kosovo document, which will be available domestic violence gathered representatives from var- online on the MoIA webpage. ious government authorities, social organizations and NGOs. It focused on police training, awareness-rais- Workshop for annual revision of the MoIA ing, the engagement of men and boys, and equality Communication Strategy and Action Plan; Pejë/Peć between men and women. (17–18 November 2023)

Seminars to raise awareness of community safety The Mission facilitated a workshop for the revision of the forums on THB, domestic violence and hate crimes; MoIA Communication Strategy and Action Plan 2022–2024, Gjakovë/Djakovica and Ferizaj/Uroševac bringing together representatives of the MoIA, KAPS, KP, (6, 10 November 2023) PIK and EMA, who reported significant progress in the im- plementation of the strategy. According to participants, the The Mission supported the MoIA to facilitate two seminars reporting period was marked by a series of impactful events on community safety forums in the regions of Gjakovë/Djak- that not only challenged the agencies of the security sector, ovica and Ferizaj/Uroševac. The seminars were attended by but also provided valuable opportunities for adaptation and the MoIA Deputy Minister, the Mayor of Gjakovë/Djakovica, improvement of the communication strategy. prosecutors, representatives of community safety fora, the KP, religious communities and CSOs, and municipal officials. Training course on middle management for KCS The MoIA Deputy Minister underlined the importance of an officials; Vushtrri/Vučitrn (20–24 November 2023) inclusive approach in the prevention of THB and domestic vi- olence. The role and importance of community safety forums The Mission delivered a tailored training course on mid-line in this effort were highlighted throughout the events. management for supervisors and managers of the KCS. The

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training course focused on the efficient management of pris- good practices, promoted information-sharing between on staff, leadership styles in the prison environment, and the LPSCs, and improved co-operation with the police and other management of high-risk inmates. Through hands-on case institutions. scenarios, the training enhanced the attendees’ skills in the management of a diverse workforce. Debriefing workshop for trainers on domestic violence risk assessment; Prishtinë/Priština Preparatory meeting; Belgrade, Serbia (29–30 November 2023) (22 March 2023) & Regional Hate Crime Conference for OSCE field operations in South-Eastern Europe; The Mission facilitated a debriefing workshop to discuss the Tirana, Albania (21–22 November 2023) entire risk assessment process in this field for officers from the police and other institutions. The discussions also fo- In March 2023, the Mission attended the regular OSCE cused on the need for shelters for male victims, challenges in South-Eastern Europe (SEE) focal point hate crime prepara- the process of enforcing and terminating protection orders, tory meeting hosted by the OSCE Mission to Serbia in Bel- and safety planning and interview techniques. grade. The meeting was held to prepare the next regional hate crime conference focusing on hate speech and its cor- Workshop on drafting the Kosovo Agency on relation to hate crimes. Forensics (KAF) regulation for performance management; Prishtinë/Priština The annual SEE Hate Crime Conference, entitled “The inter- (29 November–1 December 2023) relation between hate crime and hate speech: Challenges and solutions in responses”, took place in November 2023. A working group of the KAF management staff discussed The conference brought together hate crime focal points and and finalized the Regulation for Performance Management other staff members working on hate crime issues at OSCE System, specifically focusing on the identification of clear, SEE field operations, as well as representatives of ODIHR, specific and measurable objectives, as well as on the re- CSOs, local points of contact for hate crimes, and other local quirement to amend and complete the relevant KAF regula- institutions and organizations. tions to comply with the latest legislative changes.

Roundtable and training workshop on gender Workshop to draft the new KP Gender Equality mainstreaming and anti-corruption; Prishtinë/ Agenda and Action Plan; Prizren Priština (23–24 November 2023) (29 November–1 December 2023)

A roundtable on gender mainstreaming and anti-corrup- The Mission supported the KP in organizing a workshop to tion gathered representatives of the AWKP, the Association finalize the new KP Gender Equality Agenda and Action Plan of Women in Kosovo Correctional Services (AWKCS), the for the period 2024–2028. The workshop brought togeth- APC, the PIK, prosecution bodies, and other institutions er field experts representing all KP departments and repre- and NGOs. The participants discussed the disproportional sentatives of the Mission. It focused on the recruitment and effects of corruption on women, calling for further efforts to professional development of women and men within the KP. promote women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in the development and implementation of relevant anti-cor- Raising awareness of domestic and gender-based ruption activities. The roundtable was followed by a tailored violence; Prishtinë/Priština (1 December 2023) training workshop for representatives of the AWKP, who learned about the importance of incorporating gender indi- The Mission delivered a presentation on the institutional re- cators into the monitoring and evaluation of anti-corruption sponse to incidents of gender-based violence at the Kosovo programmes. Academy for Public Safety to participants from different pub- lic safety institutions. The presentation provided an overview 21st Executive Council Meeting of LPSCs; Prishtinë/ of the applicable policy and available services in cases involv- Priština (30 November 2023) ing gender-based violence.

The Mission supported the 21st LPSC Executive Council Workshop for annual revision of the KP Human Meeting, hosted and chaired by the LPSC “Mushnikovë/ Resources and Training Strategy and Action Plan; Mušnikovo” from the Municipality of Prizren. The Deputy Prishtinë/Priština (4 December 2023) Minister of Internal Affairs, General Director of the KP, the Mission’s Director of the Department for Security and Pub- The Mission facilitated a workshop for senior police man- lic Safety, and the Prime Minister’s representative identified agers who identified achievements and challenges in the

63 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

implementation of the KP Human Resources and Training Training course on techniques for interviewing Strategy 2021–2024. Discussions focused on achievements minors; Pejë/Peć (6–8 December 2023) concerning enhanced gender diversity in the recruitment of police cadets and challenges for women police officers in the Using in-house expertise, the Mission conducted a training KP promotion process. course aimed at strengthening the skills of KP officers and members of the AWKP in interviewing minors. The training Advanced training programme on police operations course addressed various aspects to ensure the accurate in urban areas; Vushtrri/Vučitrn (4–8 December 2023) and ethical handling of minors in interviews. Through case scenarios, participants learned to use the guidelines for in- An advanced training programme for officers of the KP Spe- terviewing adults and minors. cialized Operational Units enhanced their skills in special po- lice operations in urban areas. The training aimed at improv- Promoting the manual on sexual harassment; ing the units’ proficiency in command post management and Prishtinë/Priština (11 December 2023) communications, tactical movements in urban settings and inside buildings, and handling active shooter and multiple The Office of Good Governance in the Office of the Prime shooter scenarios. Minister presented the Manual for Implementing the Poli- cy Against Sexual Harassment in Public Administration to Regional workshops to present the standard KP officers. The Manual provides practical guidance about operating procedure (SOP) for treating persons with the Policy against Sexual Harassment, and outlines pro- disabilities; Gjilan/Gnjilane, Istog/Istok, Prizren and cedures for reporting cases of sexual harassment in the Prishtinë/Priština (5–14 December 2023) workplace.

The Mission supported the organization of regional work- Training course on intelligence-led operations for shops to present the SOP to police officers of different ranks specialized police units; Vushtrri/Vučitrn from all regional police directorates. During the workshops, (11–15 December 2023) the audience received information on the newly adopted SOP, including instructions for the treatment of persons with A training course for KP officers advanced their proficiency in disabilities during interviews, arrest or police detention. The intelligence-led policing methods focusing on the fundamen- document provides procedural instructions for police in safe- tals of intelligence-led operations, data collection, analysis, guarding the rights of persons with disabilities during legal strategic planning and reasoned decision-making. proceedings. Workshop for the annual revision of the Association Workshop for the annual revision of the PIK of Women in Kosovo Police (AWKP) Development Development Plan and Action Plan; Prishtinë/ Strategy and Action Plan; Pejë/Peć Priština (5–7 December 2023) (12–13 December 2023)

Senior managers of the PIK, the Mission’s in-house experts, The Mission supported the AWKP in reviewing their Devel- and a representative from ICITAP reviewed and evaluated opment Strategy and Action Plan 2022–2024. The working the implementation of the PIK Development Plan 2022–2025 group considered the progress towards the Plan’s strategic and Action Plan for 2023. The workshop participants exam- and specific objectives, which aim to foster a culture of gen- ined the key performance indicators outlined in the plan and der equality, attain a gender balance in decision-making/ explored opportunities for improving overall performance. leadership positions, and integrate gender perspectives into policing. The working group agreed that despite the progress Workshop on the KAF Development Strategy and made, addressing the under-representation of women in the Action Plan; Prishtinë/Priština (6 December 2023) KP and decision-making positions should be prioritized in planning further advancements. A workshop to review the KAF Development Strategy and Action Plan 2022–2026 brought together senior managers of AWKCS annual convention; Prishtinë/Priština KAF and Mission experts to analyse and discuss the achieve- (15 December 2023) ment of strategic objectives and the implementation of activ- ities under the Action Plan as foreseen for 2023. Members The Mission supported the annual convention of the AWKCS, of the working group concluded that the legislative changes which gathered the Deputy Minister of Justice, the Gener- adopted over the recent years require the KAF Development al Director of the KCS, the Head of the Agency for Gender Strategy 2022–2026 to be amended accordingly. Equality within the Office of the Prime Minister, members of

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the AWKCS and KCS, along with representatives of the Mis- Workshop to finalize guidelines on hate crimes; sion, the US Embassy, EULEX, and NGOs. The participants Prishtinë/Priština (18–20 December 2023) emphasized the AWKCS’s dedication to addressing the spe- cific needs of women in the KCS by fostering their profes- The Mission supported the ombudsperson institution in final- sional development. This requires a continued commitment izing guidelines for treating hate crimes. During the workshop, to advocating for gender equality and promoting awareness, the working group reviewed the document, focusing on the as well as opening the route for women’s professional ad- scope of the guide, a clear definition of hate crimes, and mak- vancement within the KCS. ing a distinction between hate incidents and hate crimes.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Training course on prevention of VERLT for new Training course on the practical implementation of police officers; Gjilan/Gnjilane, Prishtinë/Priština, the SOP for victims of trafficking; Prishtinë/Priština Prizren and Pejë/Peć (16–28 February 2023) (14–15 March 2023)

Frontline police officers learned about recognizing and pre- A multi-disciplinary training course focused on the practical im- venting VERLT in Kosovo through constructive discussions. plementation of the SOP for trafficked persons in Kosovo and The attendees explored definitions of extremism and radi- involved participants from the KP Directorate for Investigation of calization, factors and motives of young people exposed to THB, the VAAO, CSWs, and shelters for victims of trafficking. recruitment, extremism, and the radicalization process. Training activity on stand–alone money laundering Training programme on countering terrorist integrated investigation; Prishtinë/Priština financing (CTF); Vienna and Pejë/Peć (8–10 May 2023) (27 February–14 December 2023) Participants from the KP, APC, Prosecution Office, FIU, KTA, The training programme focused on teaching investigative customs and the Basic Court of Prishtinë/Priština learned methods for financial investigations carried out as part of about the stand-alone money laundering integrated investi- counter-terrorism investigations. As part of the programme, gation method and new modi operandi being used for mon- the following activities were conducted in 2023: ey laundering. The course also equipped the participants A foundational course on CTF for trainers represent- with knowledge of relevant European Union (EU) legislation, ing the KP, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the practices and sanctions on anti-money laundering, as well as KTA, basic court prosecution representatives and the with contemporary methodologies and techniques for trac- court of Prishtinë/Priština, and the Office of the Koso- ing illegally obtained assets. vo Coordinator against Terrorism; An analysis course on CTF for the same audience; Roundtable on the importance of inter-institutional Basic and enhanced investigation courses on CTF. co-ordination and collaboration in the management of sequestered and confiscated assets; Prishtinë/ Conference on THB and labour exploitation in supply Priština (11 May 2023) chains; Prishtinë/Priština (9 March 2023) Kosovo’s Agency for Management of Sequestrated or Con- In co-operation with the Office of the OSCE Special Rep- fiscated Assets (AMSCA) facilitated a roundtable on the im- resentative for Combating THB and the Kosovo MoIA, the portance of inter-institutional co-ordination and collaboration Mission hosted a conference on taking action against THB in the management of sequestered and confiscated assets. and labour exploitation in supply chains. The conference The event gathered participants from the AMSCA, judiciary, gathered representatives of the government and members of prosecution, law enforcement agencies, and other relevant Kosovo anti-trafficking institutions, chambers of commerce, institutions, including representatives from the US Embassy trade unions, associations of employers, labour inspectors, in Prishtinë/Priština, the Council of Europe Office in Prishtinë/ CSOs, and other private and public partners in the preven- Priština, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusam- tion and suppression of human trafficking for the purposes of menarbeit (GIZ), and EULEX. The Minister of Justice and the labour exploitation in supply chains. Head of OSCE Mission opened the event and highlighted the

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co-ordination of activities and collaboration between the rel- vestigations of financial crimes. The participants learned how evant entities as being crucial to bring perpetrators to justice to trace earnings or expenditures of individuals and compa- with due process. nies to determine whether a physical person or legal entity is making false claims about wealth and to detect fraud. Workshop to present the master plan for the further development of canine capabilities in the area of Training polygon for the KP canine unit; Prishtinë/ small arms and light weapons (SALW); Prishtinë/ Priština (27 September 2023) Priština (12 May 2023) The Mission attended the inauguration of a new training poly A workshop for participants of the MoIA and KP, represent- gon for the KP canine unit, which it built and handed over, atives from Germany and the OSCE Secretariat focused on along with other specialized training equipment for the unit’s the further development of canine capabilities of the KP. The use. The Head of the OSCE Mission highlighted that it has master plan, developed by the Mission, establishes priorities never been more important to strengthen capacity to detect and activities for an upgrade of the KP canine unit. and confiscate illegal SALW, ammunition and explosives. The training polygon will help the KP enhance detection skills, Roundtables on enhancing inter-institutional while the specialized equipment will provide them with the Co-operation in handling cases of THB and the necessary tools to seize and confiscate illicit weapons. protection of victims of trafficking; Ferizaj/Uroševac, Prishtinë/Priština and Pejë/Peć (22–30 May 2023) Specialized training course on investigations of child trafficking and pro–active investigations using Roundtables on enhancing inter-institutional co-operation in special investigative measures; Prishtinë/Priština handling cases of THB and on the protection of victims of (4–6 October 2023) trafficking gathered representatives from the MoIA, the KP Directorate for Investigation of THB, the VAAO, the Prose- In co-operation with the Council of Europe Office in Prishtinë/ cutor’s Office, courts, shelters for accommodating victims of Priština, the Mission organized a specialized training course trafficking, the Ministry of Health (MoH), and CSWs. The dis- on investigations of child trafficking and pro-active investi- cussions touched on the shortcomings and challenges faced gations using special investigative measures. The training by practitioners throughout the process of protecting victims, course gathered participants responsible for investigating from their identification to their reintegration. human trafficking cases and provided them with a platform to enhance their knowledge and skills, as well as to openly Workshop for the final evaluation of the Strategy and discuss case studies. Action Plan against Organized Crime; Prizren (31 May–2 June 2023) Training courses on analysing, preventing and combating environmental crime; Prizren, Ferizaj/ The workshop brought together officials representing the Uroševac and Gjilan/Gnjilane (10–12 October 2023) MoIA, the Ministry of Justice, the Kosovo Coordinator against Organized Crime, judicial and prosecutorial councils, the KP, Training courses on analysing, preventing and combating en- the Ministry of Finance, the FIU, customs, and other rele- vironmental crime for KP officers, prosecutors, municipal en- vant local institutions and international partner organizations. vironment protection officers, and officials from the Ministry of The participants carried out the final evaluation of the imple- Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (MESPI) aimed mentation of the Strategy and Action Plan against Organized at enhancing the effectiveness in combating environmental Crime 2018–2022 and prepared a final comprehensive re- crimes, focusing on aspects such as environmental offenses, port to serve as a baseline for further actions to be taken by administrative responsibilities, illegal logging, and relevant envi- various relevant institutions. ronmental protection provisions within the Criminal Code.

Specialized training course on accounting and Workshops to draft the new Strategy and Action analytical skills in integrated investigations of Plan against Narcotics; Prizren (17–19 October, financial crimes; Prishtinë/Priština (14–16 June 2023) 11 December 2023)

Participants from the KP Directorate for Investigation of Eco- The workshops convened the working group responsible for nomic Crimes and Corruption, the APC, the Prosecutor’s drafting the new Strategy and Action Plan against Narcotics Office, the FIU, the KTA, and the Basic Court of Prishtinë/ 2024–2028. The Mission contributed throughout the stages Priština participated in an advanced and specialized training of the process alongside the EU Home Affairs Programme course on accounting and analytical skills in integrated in- (HAPE).

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Workshop to draft cyber security sub-legal acts; Meetings of the Kosovo Cyber Security Council Prishtinë/Priština and Prizren (KCSC) with the Secretariat of the Global Forum (24–25, 30–31 October 2023) on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) and the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC); The Hague, The working group on cyber security convened to draft Netherlands (4–5 December 2023) sub-legal acts stemming from the cybersecurity law on the register of cyber incidents, on the register of cyber security The Mission organized two meetings for representatives of risks, on notification procedures and contents of cyber inci- the KCSC with the Secretariat of the GFCE and the NCSC in dent reports, and on measures and procedures that restrict The Hague, Netherlands. The GFCE and the KCSC agreed to or temporarily suspend the use or access to a network or enhance their co-operation, particularly in working jointly on information system in the event of a cyber incident. projects that would benefit Kosovo institutions. The meeting with the NCSC proved crucial for the KCSC to learn about Workshop on the destruction of confiscated narcotic good practices and challenges of establishing and running a drugs and psychotropic substances; Prishtinë/ cyber security centre. Priština (17 November 2023) Workshop for the annual evaluation of the Strategy A brainstorming workshop deliberated on the destruction and Action Plan on Preventing and Countering of confiscated narcotic drugs and psychotropic substanc- Terrorism; Pejë/Peć (4–6 December 2023) es in accordance with recommendations stemming from the Annual Evaluation Report of the Strategy and Action Plan A workshop to evaluate the annual implementation of the against Narcotics. The workshop hosted participants repre- Strategy and Action Plan on Preventing and Countering senting the MoIA, the KP, the MESPI, the MoH, and partners Terrorism 2023–2028 gathered participants from the MoIA, from the EU Office in Kosovo, ICITAP and the EU project the KP, customs, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports HAPE. The workshop addressed the importance of creating (MCYS), Academy of Justice, the KCS, the KPS, the PIK, an SOP for the destruction of seized narcotic drugs and psy- international and local organizations and NGOs. The event chotropic substances, and focused on evaluating the exist- was opened by the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Head ing gaps and requirements within the institutions responsible of OSCE Mission in Kosovo, who both emphasized the im- for managing the disposal of such substances. portance of this strategic document in preventing and coun- tering terrorism locally and globally. Workshop for the annual evaluation of the Strategy against THB; Pejë/Peć (21–23 November 2023) Advanced training seminar on counterfeiting; Prishtinë/Priština (7–8 December 2023) The workshop gathered participants from the MoIA, the MoH, the Ministry of Local Government Administration, the As part of Anti-Corruption Week, an advanced training sem- KP, the VAAO, the judiciary, shelters, and international and inar on counterfeiting was held for representatives of the KP, local organizations to evaluate the Strategy against THB KTA, prosecution, and customs. The seminar focused on 2022–2026 and the Action Plan 2022–2024. The attendees identifying counterfeit trademarks, facilitating information ex- reported on the status of activity implementation, shared de- change between institutions responsible for trademark pro- tails on achievements, along with the challenges they face in tection, understanding the complex landscape of internet- the course of implementation. A comprehensive report has enabled counterfeiting crimes, and developing strategies been compiled by the MoIA Secretariat for Strategies and for securing evidence in criminal cases related to trademark was shared with relevant stakeholders. counterfeiting.

Training course on analysing, preventing and Training course for anti-narcotics investigators combating organized crime; Prizren through improved co-ordination with other agencies; (29 November–1 December 2023) Prishtinë/Priština (13–14 December 2023)

The training workshops fostered understanding of how to Police investigators participated in a training course on com- prevent and combat serious crimes involving organized crim- bating the trafficking of illicit narcotics. The two modules of inal groups, both locally and internationally. The Mission’s the training course focused on exploring the significance of in-house expert exchanged knowledge and expertise with thorough planning and investigation, as well as the collec- prosecutors and police investigators from the KP Directorate tion of personal and material evidence in preparation for trial for Investigation of Organized Crime. proceedings.

67 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

2.1.4 Mission to Montenegro

Introduction

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro (the Mission) assists the host country in fostering a more accountable security sector capable of addressing serious threats and crimes, while ensuring public safety and the protection of the human rights in line with OSCE politico-military commitments. The Mission’s Security Co-operation and Governance Programme continued supporting the authorities of Montenegro in reform processes.

▶ Strengthening of technical capacities of the cybercrime and criminal intelligence unit in data analysis; Podgorica, Montenegro (18 November 2023)

The Mission works closely with the Montenegrin Ministry of the Interior (MoI) and Police to strengthen capacity to prevent and combat serious and organized crime. In 2023, Montenegro participated in Operation Mozaik 2023, a joint operation against the sexual exploitation of children in the Balkan region led by the Slovenian National Police and co-ordinated by Europol in the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT). During the joint operation, police carried out 41 raids that resulted in the identification of 39 suspected child abusers. The Department for Combating Serious Crimes and its High-Tech Crime Unit conducted searches at four locations in Montenegro, seizing 11 electronic devices and arresting three people suspected of offences related to the possession of child abuse material.

The arrest of one suspect as part of the major international operation “Mozaik 2023”, November 2023. Police Directorate of Montenegro

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The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, together with the UK and US embassies, supported the Police Directorate, which highlighted “the continuous co-operation with the representatives of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, who through their actions have enabled the strengthening of administrative and technical capacities and the increase in the level of specialization of the officers of the Police Directorate, in particular, the officers of the Group for the Suppression of High-Tech Crime.”

The Mission’s support included the provision of a forensic workstation computer and imager toolkit to the Police Directorate’s Forensic Centre, which significantly reduced the time needed to process information. Previously, it could take up to 16 hours to extract data from a mobile phone and several days to produce a report and analyse the extracted data. In one case, five electronic devices including phones, laptops, and storage devices containing over 1TB of data were taken from a suspect. It took several weeks to extract and analyse the data, in which over 16,500 photos and videos of child sexual abuse were found. Using the forensic station, data analysis has become much faster and more efficient.

General police development and reform

Development of an e-learning platform for the Development of a police mobile application; Ministry of the Interior; Podgorica, Montenegro Podgorica, Montenegro (throughout 2023) (April–October 2023) The development of a police mobile application was part of The initial steps for developing an e-learning platform were a three-phase project. In 2022, the Mission supported the taken in 2022. Activities related to the further development research and development of a mobile police application, of the e-learning platform in 2023 included: 6–7 April 2023, procured IT equipment and tools for the MoI’s IT Centre and, officers of the Police Training Center of the Ministry of Inter- together with DCAF, trained the staff of the IT Centre staff in nal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia visited the Ministry of establishing the platform. In addition, the Mission support- Internal Affairs of Montenegro to exchange experiences and ed research to identify steps to develop a pilot Virtual Police knowledge on the establishment of e-learning systems for Station mobile phone application, an online police service for police and state officials at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of citizens to report crimes, and to request general information Montenegro. or other services. As part of the government’s digitization agenda, the application is designed to increase public trust From 25 to 29 September 2023, the Mission supported the in the police by contributing to more interactions between training of MoI officials to develop and upload e-learning ma- police and the general public. terial to the platform. The training course was followed by a six-week mentorship by the Mission’s experts, during which The mobile application was completed and tested in Novem- each of the participants developed a course within their ber 2023. It has been handed over to the Police Directorate, own field of expertise to be posted on the platform or fur- but has not yet been officially made available for use. ther developed by the MoI Directorate for Police Training and Development. Implementation of the Police Communication Strategy and Action Plan (2023–2026); Podgorica, It is planned that by February 2024, the e-learning platform Montenegro (completed 9 June 2023) will contain more than ten different lectures, which will cover subjects such as integrity, human rights and legal provisions The Mission supported the development of the Police Com- for police officers. Moreover, a co-operation will be estab- munication Strategy and Action Plan 2023–2026, which has lished with UNODC to upload many of their e-learning cours- been approved by the Police Directorate and is awaiting ap- es onto the platform. proval by the MoI. The Mission continued to implement its

69 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

key measures, including the development of training curric- also organized an outreach campaign, visiting schools and ula and the delivery of communication training courses to talking to more than 800 high school students about career officers at all local police security centres. opportunities and the benefits of joining the police. Since the initiative was launched in 2020, the number of female recruits Conducting the annual police perception survey; to the Police Academy has increased significantly. Montenegro (throughout 2023) Networking meetings of the Montenegrin Women’s The Mission supported the MoI and the Police Directorate in Police Association (WPA); Tirana Albania (3–4 April) conducting the annual public opinion survey to assess cit- and Barcelona, Spain (17–18 October 2023) izens’ attitudes towards the work of the police, their views on the main threats to their personal security, local security Following the successful visit of the Montenegrin Women’s problems, and their perceptions of corruption, gender, insti- Police Association to North Macedonia in 2022, the Mission tutions and overall police reform. The survey indicated a high supported another visit of the Association’s members to the level of trust of the police by the general public. Albanian State Police. The participants learned from the ex- perience of the Albanian State Police, which has achieved Continuing campaign for more women in the police significant results in increasing the number of women in its and encouraging young people to seek a career in ranks. The meeting also served to establish initial communi- policing; Podgorica, Montenegro (May–June 2023) cation and to exchange know-how on how to promote gen- der equality in the service. In co-operation with the Police Directorate and the Police Academy, the Mission conducted the month-long aware- In place of its annual meeting, the WPA of Montenegro opted ness-raising campaign “I Choose the Police” to encourage for a visit to the European Network of Police Women in Bar- young women and men to apply for the Police Academy. Over celona, Spain (17–18 October 2023). Representatives from the course of a month, the campaign videos reached nearly Montenegro presented the work and planned activities of the 300,000 people through social media. The Police Directorate WPA in Montenegro.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Annual Regional Forensic Conference; Podgorica, methods of investigation, increasing the quality and the num- Montenegro (12–13 October 2023) ber of cases processed. It is able to solve the most serious crimes. Their work process has been accelerated, which has With the support of the Mission, the Annual Regional Foren- played a significant role in improving the work of the judicial sic Conference brought together the heads of forensic insti- institutions in Montenegro.” The official handover of equip- tutions and forensic experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, ment was completed on 13 September 2023. Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Türkiye to strengthen regional co-operation between fo- Series of workshops on the use of analysis software; rensic centres. It served as a platform to exchange knowl- throughout Montenegro (17–19 September, edge and experience between experts in the field of forensics. 2–6 October,2023)

Procurement of forensic equipment; Podgorica, The Mission organized workshops for criminal intelligence Montenegro (13 September 2023) officers and analysts from several police directorates on the use of modern analysis software. In particular, the workshops The Mission continued equipping the Montenegrin Foren- focused on data processing, reliability assessment and ac- sic Centre’s digital laboratory with digital forensic software, cess control to improve the efficiency and quality of inves- adapters, a computer system, and audio and video equip- tigations as well as the visual analysis of events over time. ment. The Director of the Forensic Centre, stated that “with This integration will allow investigators to gain deeper insight the Mission’s support, both in terms of training and equip- into criminal activity, streamline data analysis processes and ment, the Forensic Centre has new and more sophisticated contribute to successful investigation outcomes.

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Environmental crime assessment; Montenegro Development of guidelines for police officers (2–6 October 2023) interviewing potential THB victims, with a set of questions for police officers, judiciary and social The Mission commissioned a comprehensive analysis of the workers; across Montenegro (throughout 2023) state of environmental crime in Montenegro, including con- clusions and recommendations. Based on this analysis, ac- The Mission supported the development of guidelines for in- tivities were planned for 2024 in co-operation with the Police terviewing potential victims of THB by judges, prosecutors and Directorate and other competent institutions. The trafficking police officers.5 The Mission organized three workshops for and illegal dumping of hazardous materials has become a police officers, social workers and representatives of the MoI. significant source of revenue for a growing number of crim- One of the challenges for first responders is to distinguish be- inal networks. The illegal dumping of hazardous materials is tween those who are in the business of human trafficking and a serious threat to the environment and human health, and those who are the victims of trafficking. Participants learned is a serious problem in Montenegro. To address these is- how to identify trafficking victims by asking specific questions. sues, Montenegro has made significant changes to its en- The workshops also touched on risks to victims, ethical con- vironmental and sustainable development legal and policy siderations, and practical realities related to trafficking. frameworks. Support for the formal accreditation of the Forensic Three-day regional conference focusing on the Centre Ballistics Laboratory with the Montenegro victim-centred approach to interviewing child Accreditation Institution; Montenegro victims of sexual exploitation; Budva, Montenegro (throughout 2023) (9–11 October 2023) With the support of the Mission, the Forensic Centre of the The Mission facilitated a three-day conference focusing on Police Directorate received the official Accreditation Certifi- a victim-centred approach to interviewing child victims of cate for its Ballistic Laboratory, which certifies that the labo- sexual exploitation. It gathered prosecutors, judges, police ratory meets the highest international standard – ISO 17025. officers, psychologists, social workers and NGO represent- To support the accreditation process, the Mission engaged atives from Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, ballistic experts from North Macedonia whose ballistic lab Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania and Slovenia. Dur- was already accredited. The Head of the Forensic Centre ing the workshop, different approaches and experiences in expressed that this accreditation strengthened the Centre’s working with underage victims of human trafficking were dis- capacity and fostered trust in the accuracy and impartiality cussed. The workshop also introduced participants to the of its work. The accreditation empowers police and our law universally recognized protocol for interviewing child victims enforcement agencies with the tools needed to address se- of abuse and exploitation by the National Institute of Child curity challenges effectively. The support of your Mission has Health and Human Development (NICHD). not only improved our capabilities, but has also contributed to the broader goal of enhancing regional security through more effective forensic practices.

5 OSCE 2018, Guidelines on General principles regarding non-punishment provision for victims of trafficking in human beings (THB), accessible at https://www.osce. org/mission-to-montenegro/406487

71 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

2.1.5 Mission to Serbia

Introduction

The OSCE Mission to Serbia (the Mission) was established in 2001 with the mandate to assist the host authorities in, inter alia, the restructuring and training of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary. The Mission assists the host country in achieving a sustainable and accountable security sector that is able to address serious threats and crimes, ensure public safety and protect the human rights of citizens.

▶ Hope from tragedy–enhancing child safety across Serbia; Belgrade, Serbia (30 August–31 December 2023)

Following the tragic mass shootings in Serbia on 3 and 4 May 2023, the Ministry of the Interior (MoI) launched the project “Together and Safely through Childhood” to boost outreach to elementary schools and improve child safety. In August, the OSCE Mission to Serbia co-signed a Protocol on co-operation with the MoI, the Ministry of Education, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, the Road Traffic Safety Agency, CARITAS in Serbia, and the University of Criminal Investigation and Police. On that occasion, the Minister of Education, Slavica Djukić Dejanović, explained that the project would be implemented in all classes of all primary schools across Serbia through educational workshops. The Head of Mission Ambassador Jan Braathu said that he hoped that the number of similar prevention activities would increase in the future.6 The project was launched at the beginning of the 2023/24 school year in September 2023; it is planned to implement it in all primary schools across Serbia.

By the end of the first six months, a total of 17,799 workshops were held for 231,555 elementary schoolchildren across Serbia, focused on peer and digital violence, and basic safety in traffic and emergency situations. The Mission supported the project by obtaining licenses for an interactive online platform, which is being used to resolve peer conflict situation in real and virtual environments and to conduct knowledge quizzes on safety. The State Secretary of the MoI Željko Brkić stated that “the police, through preventive measures and the daily engagement of more than 2,500 police officers in charge of the safety of students, schools and teachers, demonstrated institutional responsibility in the face of numerous security challenges.” He highlighted the safety of children, young people and teachers as a key priority for the Serbian government, and that the project “Together and Safely through Childhood” shows that “only by working together can we create a safe environment for children.”

6 Euronews Serbia 2023, Potpisan protokol o saradnji i sprovođenju projekta “Zajedno i bezbedno kroz detinjstvo“ (30 August 2023), accessible at https:// www.euronews.rs/srbija/drustvo/98159/potpisan-protokol-o-saradnji-i-sprovodenju-projekta-zajedno-i-bezbedno-kroz-detinjstvo/vest

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Launch of the project “Together and Safely through Childhood”, Belgrade, Serbia, 2 September 2023. OSCE/Milan Obradović

Ambassador Jan Braathu, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, and Minister of Education Slavica Djukić Dejanović on the occasion of the signing of the protocol of the project “Together and Safely through Childhood”, Serbian Government, Belgrade, Serbia, 30 August 2023. OSCE/Milan Obradović

73 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

▶ A new generation of cyber security experts; Belgrade, Serbia (May–October 2023)

The OSCE Mission to Serbia has been supporting youth engagement with cyber security issues since 2020. The Cyber-Hero Programme is a platform for young people to network and communicate, access informal education and receive mentorship. Under this programme, the Mission supported the organization of the Serbian Cybersecurity Challenge 2023, which aimed to identify new talents and present them with job opportunities. The competition attracted a large number of students from diverse backgrounds.

The Mission’s support was especially encouraging for Ana Batranović, an 18-year-old high school student with a disability from Novi Sad. Ana’s remarkable cybersecurity story begins in October 2021. Following spinal surgery, Ana was confined to bedrest, apart for an hour or two every day. During that time, she discovered online platforms offering cybersecurity challenges, which she solved each day in order to distract herself.

Her interest in cybersecurity led her to the Serbian Cybersecurity Challenge. Participation in the competition empowered her to learn more and explore other competitions and mentoring programmes in the cybersecurity field. She later attended the preparations for the European Cybersecurity Challenge 2023 in Vienna, the Serbian Cybersecurity Challenge 2023, as well as the Women for Cyber mentoring programme. These programmes allowed her to meet practitioners and professionals from the public and private sectors and to expand her skills and knowledge. In March 2023, during her final year of high school, she was offered employment by a private cybersecurity company in Serbia as a “pen tester”, an ethical hacker who tests security systems to find their weak points. When asked what the opportunity to participate in the national Cybersecurity Challenge meant for her, she said: “I don’t think I would have had the opportunities I had without the national competition. It’s a domino effect; you meet people who have been in the industry for years who are technically more capable than you, and that’s how you learn the fastest. I’m very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had, and I hope that one day I’ll be able to help someone get started in cybersecurity. The field is demanding but very important and interesting.”

Since Ana’s own participation in national competitions, she has become a mentor to new participants. As a mentor, she is involved in the selection of the students representing Serbia in the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ESC) and in mentoring the youth team to prepare them for the challenge.

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Ms. Ana Batranović and other particiapants at the Serbian Cybersecurity Challenge, Belgrade, Serbia, 17–18 May 2023. OSCE/Milan Obradović

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General police development and reform

Webinar on International Women’s Day of the Seminars on primary prevention and well–being for Women Police Officers Network; online women police officers; Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Niš, (8 March 2023) Serbia (27 April–6 June 2023)

The Mission contributed to the Women Police Officers Net- The Mission supported the Women Police Officers Network work (WPON) webinar to mark International Women’s Day. (WPON) in organizing seminars on the importance of women’s The webinar gathered participants representing the Office of well-being and health care. The seminars gathered women the Commissioner for Protection of Equality, the MoI, UNDP police officers, who were briefed by the MoI’s medical staff on and UN Women. The participants underlined their continued the importance of primary prevention and well-being. work on gender equality commitments, including combating gender-based violence and addressing crimes dispropor- Seminars for police on data protection; Avala, Niš, tionately affecting women. Novi Sad, and Srebrno jezero, Serbia (11 May–27 October 2023) Local safety councils increase their capacities on safety and prevention; countrywide, Serbia The Mission organized a series of seminars on data protection (March–November 2023) in partnership with the Department for Data Processing, Com- plaints and Cooperation with the MoI’s Independent Bodies. To foster local safety partnerships, the Mission initiated a se- The seminars benefited police officers from 27 police districts, ries of visits to local safety councils, which are a major com- who learned about data protection when handling information munity policing instrument. The Mission visited local self-gov- from citizens, suspects, victims and witnesses of crime. ernments in Bačka Topola, Čajetina, Niš, Novi Pazar, Senta, Sjenica, Sombor, Ub, Užice and Veliko Gradište. During each Support to national efforts on youth crime visit, the participants discussed the importance of local safe- prevention; Niš, Vrdnik and Zlatibor, Serbia ty councils and their functioning, including the use of safety (15 May–12 November 2023) and prevention. As a result of the visits, in November 2023, the Mission, working closely with the MoI and the Nation- The Mission supported the MoI’s Criminal Investigations al Academy for Public Administration, organized a training Directorate and its Department for Juvenile Crime in organ- course in Belgrade on local safety for self-government rep- izing juvenile crime prevention training courses for juvenile resentatives. crime officers. The training seminars focused on international standards in the field of juvenile crime, the application of po- Upgrading of the website of the Basic Police lice powers to minors, contacting and interviewing juvenile Training Centre; Sremska Kamenica, Serbia offenders, and guidelines on the treatment of this offender (April–August 2023) group. The courses also touched on how to secure evidence in cases of drug-related criminality, terrorism and extremism, The Mission finalized the upgrading of the website of the cybercrime and human trafficking. MoI’s Basic Police Training Centre to make it more user- friendly and to ensure that it provides up-to-date information Training seminar for the Serbian Women Police for prospective candidates, including those from national Officers Network and the police association minorities. The website’s promotional textual and visual ma- “European Police Officers of National Minorities – terial for future basic police training candidates was translat- Europe Police”; Belgrade, Serbia (24–26 May 2023) ed into 12 national minority languages (Albanian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Romani– The Mission organized a seminar on project proposal devel- Vojvodina vernacular, Romani–Serbia vernacular, Ruthenian, opment for members of the Serbian Women Police Officers Slovak and Ukrainian). The newly upgraded website makes Network and the police association “European Police Of- the police service more accessible to all potential candidates ficers of National Minorities – Europe Police”. The aim was to across the country. The website can be visited at https:// enhance project development capacities to ensure sustain- www.copo.edu.rs. ability. During his visit, the OSCE Chairpersonship-in-Office met with the participants of this in-house training seminar.

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Training courses on community policing for police Support for candidates from national minorities to supervisors; Niš and Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia enrol in basic police training; countrywide, Serbia (29 May–2 June 2023, 30 October–1 November 2023) (2–12 August, 25 September–6 October 2023)

In co-operation with the MoI, the Mission organized a series The Mission supported the police association “European of training courses on practical aspects of community po- Police Officers of National Minorities – Europe Police” by de- licing for police supervisors from various districts in Serbia. veloping information campaigns to reach out to and prepare The seminars covered topics such as preventive work, intel- prospective candidates from national minorities for basic po- ligence-led policing and gender equality aspects of policing. lice training. As part of this effort, the Mission and the police The training course in Vrnjačka Banja targeted newly ap- association organized a seminar for association members pointed supervisors. Over the past three years, the Mission representing different minority groups to discuss challenges has organized six training cycles for supervisors from all 27 in the recruitment of national minorities. police districts in Serbia. Training seminars on asset declaration for police Seminars for the gender focal points of the MoI; officers; Belgrade, Kragujevac, Niš, Novi Sad and Belgrade, Serbia (30 May–7 November 2023) Užice, Serbia (26 September–6 December 2023)

The Mission organized a series of seminars for the MoI’s gen- To enhance police accountability, the Mission supported the der focal points in order to provide them with the knowledge MoI in organizing training seminars on the asset declaration and skills required to carry out new reporting duties set out process. The training seminars addressed the legal respon- by the Law on Gender Equality (Official Gazette of the Re- sibility of police officers to report their property, as well as the public of Serbia no. 52/2021). obligation of the MoI’s Sector for Internal Control to monitor for changes in the asset registry. Inclusive recruitment promotional campaign; countrywide, Serbia (21 July, 1 August 2023) Workshop on building police accountability through corruption risk assessments; online To support a promotional campaign to attract applicants for (24–26 October 2023) basic police training, the Mission delivered 33,200 leaflets in Serbian and 12 national minority languages to the MoI. The In partnership with the Serbian Agency for Prevention of Cor- MoI joined their efforts with representatives of local self-gov- ruption, the Mission organized a workshop on corruption risk ernments, the councils for inter-ethnic relations, the national assessments, bringing together police officers from various minority councils and representatives of national minorities. duty stations. Experts from the Serbian Agency shared their The campaign aimed to promote the police as a career, pro- knowledge and expertise in identifying and mitigating corrup- viding information on employment conditions and criteria for tion risks within the police force. candidate selection in order to motivate potential candidates to apply, especially those from national minorities. Support for visits to five police districts of the police association “European Police Officers of National Assessment of the predictive validity of the Minorities – Europe Police”; Belgrade, Leskovac, psychological tests for candidates seeking to Novi Pazar, Subotica and Vranje, Serbia embark on basic police training; Sremska Kamenica, (23–29 November 2023) Serbia (August–December 2023) The Mission enabled members of the police association “Eu- The Mission finalized the expert assessment of the predictive ropean Police Officers of National Minorities – Europe Police” validity of the Basic Police Training Centre’s psychological to meet with chiefs of police districts across Serbia after the tests for candidates seeking to embark on basic police train- promotional campaign encouraging national minority candi- ing. In 2024, the Mission will use these findings to support dates to apply to join the police service. The discussions dur- the MoI in improving the psychological tests and making the ing the meetings focused on good practices and challenges recruitment process more inclusive. during the recruitment process.

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Expert meeting of traffic police and misdemeanor Public perception survey on police work; courts judges on the new law on road traffic safety; countrywide, Serbia (December 2023) Sokobanja, Serbia (6–8 December 2023) The Mission and the MoI conducted a survey of the per- The Mission facilitated an expert meeting of representatives ception of Serbian citizens of public safety and the work of from the traffic police and misdemeanor courts to discuss the police. The survey relied on face-to-face interviews with the enforcement of new legislation on traffic safety. The focus 1,000 citizens. The results indicated a notable increase in of the expert meeting was on the recently adopted amend- citizens’ trust in key institutions in Serbia during 2023 in com- ments to the existing Law on Traffic Safety. The gathering parison to 2022. The survey has been conducted regularly was an opportunity to discuss practical challenges in the ac- since 2008. curate and thorough implementation of the legislation.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Assessment of the legal framework on the Representatives from the Ministry of Justice, MoI, Supreme deactivation of small arms and light weapons Public Prosecutor’s Office and TNTD/SPMU launched the (SALW); (January–June 2023) event.

The Mission conducted an assessment of national firearms Strengthening Co-operation against organized legislation in order to support Serbia in incorporating inter- crime; online (26 January 2023) and Sofia, Bulgaria national normative frameworks and standards for SALW (26–27 October 2023) deactivation into the national legislative framework. The Mis- sion also provided a strategy for gender mainstreaming in As part of its effort to foster regional co-operation in combat- the context of arms control, which strengthens the capacity ing organized crime, the Mission supported the Permanent of national authorities to include the gender perspective in Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors (PCOCP) in or- SALW control policy and decision-making. ganizing online and in-person Executive Board meetings. The Mission organized an in-person meeting hosted by the Sofia Enhancement of Multi-Agency efforts in the Appellate Regional Prosecution Office for Executive Board prevention of VERLT; Belgrade and Vrdnik, Serbia members. On the occasion of this meeting, Austria signed (10–11 January, 24–26 April 2023) a declaration of intent to join the PCOCP and the Executive Board received an update on the PCOCP Secretariat’s work In co-operation with the Dutch Embassy in Belgrade and the over the past months. MoI’s Service for Combating Terrorism, the Mission organ- ized two workshops for an inter-ministerial working group in Co-organization of the 9th Annual Meeting of order to prepare for an initial assessment team to assess the the Permanent Conference of Organized Crime vulnerability and risk of radicalization. The working group is Prosecutors (PCOCP); Belgrade, Serbia comprised of representatives of the MoI, the Ministry of Ed- (21–22 February 2023) ucation Development (MoE), and Ministry of Labor, Employ- ment, Veteran and Social Affairs (MLEVSA), the Ministry of The Mission supported the OSCE Secretariat in organiz- Justice, the Ministry of Health, and the Security Information ing and hosting the 9th Annual Meeting of the Permanent Agency. Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors (PCOCP). The meeting was opened with an address by the Head of Contribution to a national workshop on social re-use Mission, Ambassador Braathu, and the Head of the TNTD/ of confiscated assets; Belgrade, Serbia SPMU, Sami Ryhänen. The 2023 Annual Meeting focused (24 January 2023) on money laundering, cybercrime, countering terrorism and the challenges posed by FTFs. The Annual Meeting was an The Mission supported the organization of a national work- opportunity for the participants to share their views and good shop entitled “Social re-use of confiscated assets in Serbia”. practices.

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Conference and roundtable on human rights and vestigations parallel to criminal procedures. The Mission’s THB in supply chains; Belgrade, Serbia experts shared their knowledge to aid the development of (21–22 March 2023) these procedures.

The Mission, in collaboration with the OSCE Secretariat’s Of- Support for the 2023 National Cybersecurity fice of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Com- Challenge Finals; Belgrade, Serbia (17–18 May 2023) bating Trafficking in Human Beings and the CSO ASTRA, organized a conference addressing global trends and chal- The Mission supported the awards ceremony of the 2023 lenges in integrating human rights due diligence within legal National Cybersecurity Challenge Finals in Belgrade. The frameworks in the EU and globally. Participants represent- event brought together participants of the competition’s final ing governments, CSOs and the private sector attended the round, their instructors, and representatives from govern- conference. ment institutions, private and public sectors, academia and the international community. The winning teams were given In the margins of the conference, the Mission, the OSCE their awards by the event sponsors. Businesses in the field Secretariat and the German Helpdesk on Business and Hu- of information and network security presented their work and man Rights, in co-operation with the local Helpdesk on Busi- offered career opportunities to the students. The competition ness and Human Rights of the Chamber of Commerce and was used to select the national team that participated in the Industry of Serbia and the Initiative for Global Solidarity of the International Cybersecurity Challenge 2023. German Development Agency (GIZ), co-hosted a business roundtable discussion on THB in supply chains, gathering Training events to build police capacity to tackle private sector representatives from Serbia. discrimination and recognize hate crimes; Šabac, Srebrno jezero and Belgrade, Serbia Support for the MoI campaign for voluntary (18 May–22 December 2023) surrender of weapons; countrywide, Serbia (8 May–30 June 2023) In co-operation with Serbia’s Commissioner for Protection of Equality and the MoI, the Mission organized training events The Mission, in co-operation with the MoI, initiated an aware- for police officers on recognizing discrimination and hate ness-raising campaign to support the policy of reducing the crimes. The events increased awareness and built police ownership of firearms that was launched after the two mass capacity to identify and respond to various types of discrim- shootings in Serbia in May 2023. As part of the voluntary sur- ination. These covered modules on indicators, combating render campaign, the Mission supported the MoI by produc- stereotypes and bias-motivated offenses, and understand- ing audio-visual information materials. These materials were ing the impact of discrimination on communities. The partici- broadcast on national television, disseminated via social me- pants also learned about the scope of the work and mandate dia, and shown on billboards throughout Serbia. of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and about international standards in the field of protection against dis- Support for the police and prosecution authorities crimination. to enhance capacities in conducting financial investigations; Belgrade, Vrdnik and Vršac, Serbia Training events on prosecuting and adjudicating (17 May, 20 June, 21–22 September, environmental crimes; Belgrade, Kragujevac, Niš, 29–30 November 2023) Novi Pazar, Novi Sad and Šabac, Serbia (1 June–15 December 2023) The Mission supported the meetings of a multi-stakeholder working group in developing an SOP for conducting financial The Mission organized training events across Serbia to en- investigations in line with global standards against money hance investigations, prosecutions and adjudications of envi- laundering and terrorist financing as set out by the Financial ronmental crimes. Mission-supported publications, including Action Task Force (FATF). The working group is comprised of the Guide for Procedure in Case of Improper Management representatives from the Tax Administration, the MoI (Finan- of Hazardous Waste7 and the Guide to advance the pro- cial Investigations Unit, Anti-Corruption Department, and the Service for Combating Organized Crime), the Administration for the Prevention of Money Laundering, and the Public Pros- ecution Offices (Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office, Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime, and Specialized 7 Serbia Ministry of Environmental Protection (2021), Guide for Procedure in Case of Anti-Corruption Departments). It is focusing on enhancing Improper Management of Hazardous Waste, accessible at https://www.ekologija. gov.rs/saopstenja/nekategorizovano/vodic-za-postupanje-u-slucaju-nepropis- investigative capacities, particularly in complex financial in- nog-upravljanja-opasnim-otpadom

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tected areas legislation,8 were presented and distributed to Training sessions for social workers on identifying all participants, which included police investigators, prosecu- potential victims of THB; Pančevo, Smederevo, tors, judges and environmental inspectors. Trstenik and Zrenjanin, Serbia (24 August–6 October 2023) Training-of-trainers (ToT) courses on human intelligence (HUMINT); Belgrade, Serbia Serbia’s Centre for the Protection of THB Victims and the (5–9 June, 9–13 October 2023) Mission organized a series of training sessions for social workers on identifying potential victims of THB. The sessions The MoI, the University of Criminal Investigation and Police covered indicators of THB, SOPs for interviewing victims, Studies, the Dutch police, and the Mission organized ToT and the impact of THB on victims. The sessions were attend- courses on human intelligence (HUMINT). Handlers and ed by social workers and are now part of the official train- controllers from the MoI’s Criminal Intelligence Service re- ing programme for social workers to renew their licenses. freshed their knowledge based on an updated curriculum for All attendees were employees of local social welfare centres, HUMINT. This new course is based on the Dutch training shelters for elderly people and shelters for children. programme for informant handlers and should result in an update of the MoI’s own training curricula. Support for the participation of the Serbian Youth Team at the European Cybersecurity Challenge 2023 Preparation of grounds for the development of the competition; Hamar, Norway (24–27 October 2023) MoI’s case management capacities; Serbia (27 June 2023) The Mission supported the participation of the Serbian Youth Team in the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECC) 2023. The Mission organized a presentation on case management The Serbian Youth Team was selected from participants in systems for representatives of the MoI, the Office of the Pros- the Serbian Cybersecurity Challenge (SCC) 2023, organized ecutor for Organized Crime, as well as the US Department by the Cybersecurity Network Foundation (CSN) with the of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assis- Mission’s support in May 2023. Of the winners of the national tance Program (ICITAP). The focus of the presentation was competition, the CSN selected the ten best students to par- the use of the specialized SIDDA-SIDNA case management ticipate in the ECC. The participants solved security-related and information system for investigations. This software ena- tasks related to web security, mobile security, crypto puzzles, bles the analysis of large data sets and the correlation of in- reverse engineering and forensics. The Serbian Youth Team formation to generate valuable insights for investigators. The won second place out of six non-EU guest teams. initiative is a part of preparatory steps for the implementation of a Case Management Project within the MoI. Roundtable on the fight against organized crime, terrorism and corruption; Belgrade, Serbia Support for police and prosecution to strengthen (15–16 November 2023) capacities to effectively investigate cybercrime; Kragujevac and Novi Sad, Serbia (19–21 July, The Mission, the EU Delegation to Serbia and GIZ organized 6–8 December 2023) a roundtable to discuss the Law on organization and juris- diction of state authorities in the suppression of organized In co-operation with the Service for Combating High-Tech crime, terrorism and corruption, as well as amendments to Crime of the MoI, the Mission delivered advanced training the Law and the way forward. The event provided a platform courses on the investigation and seizure of cryptocurrencies for police, prosecutors and judges to discuss their operational for criminal investigators and prosecutors from the Supreme work and to suggest amendments to the relevant laws. The Public Prosecutor’s Offices from Belgrade, Kragujevac and participants were judges and prosecutors of specialized anti- Novi Sad. Two trainers from the Service for Combating High- corruption departments from higher and appellate courts, as Tech Crime delivered modules on monitoring, investigating, well as representatives from the MoI, the Ministry of Justice and analysing transactions with cryptocurrencies, conduct- and international organizations. They discussed the impli- ing darknet investigations, and the various types of crypto- cations of the amended law and the effect the new legisla- currencies and wallets. tion would have on the future National Strategy for the Fight Against Corruption, and on incorporating recommendations from the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO).

8 OSCE (2022), Guide to advance the protected areas legislation, accessible at https://www.osce.org/mission-to-serbia/529728

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Training session on financial investigations; Šabac, Facilitating an operational meeting on human Serbia (28–30 November 2023) smuggling; Belgrade, Serbia (12 December 2023)

In co-operation with external and internal experts, the Mission The Mission and the Serbian Task Force for the Fight against conducted a training session on financial investigations for po- Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings organ- lice officers from the MoI’s Sector for Internal Control. Expert ized an operational regional meeting of prosecutors and from the Mission’s staff and MoI trainers presented challenges police investigators in charge of investigating and prose- and shared their practices on the topic of financial investiga- cuting organized crime groups involved in the smuggling of tions, both at the national and regional levels. Guest lecturers migrants. The operational meeting gathered representatives from the Italian Guardia di Finanza presented software solu- from Hungary, North Macedonia and Serbia, who presented tions for financial analyses and investigations. A lecturer from the current situation concerning migration flows and the lat- the OSCE Secretariat also introduced the principles of security est trends and methods being used by migrant smugglers. sector governance and reform (SSG/R) to participants.

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2.1.6 Mission to Skopje

Introduction

The work of the OSCE Mission to Skopje (the Mission) and its Police Development Unit is based on the Mission’s original mandate from 1992 on policing, and the OSCE MC and PC decisions stemming from the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) of 2001. According to the provisions in Annex C of the OFA, the Mission was called upon to assist in a number of specific areas of policing that have been added to the initial mandate.

▶ Institutionalizing the Gender Mentoring Programme in the Police; Skopje, North Macedonia (June–December 2023)

For the past five years, the Mission to Skopje has been supporting the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA) of North Macedonia in raising awareness of the hidden obstacles and pervasive challenges faced by policewomen when working in an often male-dominated environment. Since 2018, the Mission, in partnership with the Women’s Section of the Police Syndicate, has been developing the Mentoring Programme for Women in the Police. The programme later evolved into the Gender Mentoring Programme. Four generations of mentors and mentees have completed basic gender and mentoring skills training so far. In 2021, the Mission began the process of handing over ownership of the programme to the Human Resources Department of the MoIA. During the hand-over process, the Mission played a pivotal role in ensuring the institutional sustainability of the Gender Mentoring Programme. During this period, the Mission also supported the MoIA in enhancing the knowledge and expertise of seven MoIA Gender Mentoring Trainers through a certified advanced training-of- trainers (ToT) course. Upon completion of the ToT, these seven certified trainers delivered training modules to 11 pairs of mentors and mentees. In June 2023, the Mission organized a Gender Mentoring Workshop – Conference Simulation, during which alumni of the Gender Mentoring Programme under the guidance of two national experts had the opportunity to put their acquired skills into practice by assuming the roles of moderators, speakers, panel discussants and attendees. Several participants stated that “the gender mentoring programme increased our self-confidence, improved inter-personal skills, helped establish a work-life balance and raised our awareness and understating of other people’s models of the world.”

“I was part of the first generation of the Mentoring Program, supported by the OSCE Mission to Skopje since 2018. Some of the main achievements we were able to reach through this programme have been more self-confidence and learning how to network within the police. We also got to know each other better and share mutual experiences. However, the most important thing is that we are here to help the younger police officers to succeed in this predominantly male profession and to never give up,” stated Ms. Suza Trajkovska, Assistant Minister and Head of the Training Centre in the MoIA. She is a first-generation mentor of the Gender Mentoring Programme and one of the seven certified MoIA trainers delivering modules from the Gender Mentoring Programme.

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General police development and reform

Needs assessment for law enforcement authorities which were submitted to Parliament for adoption. The pro- and other security institutions to counter terrorism; posed promotion model is a significant development and in- Skopje, North Macedonia (June–December 2023) novation for the MoIA. For the first time, eligible candidates can engage in an eliminatory written promotion exam/testing The Mission provided recommendations for the institution- followed by an interview. The promotion exams will incorpo- al development of law enforcement authorities and securi- rate gender inclusiveness as a principle. ty institutions, as well as the improvement of multi-agency co-operation in countering terrorism based on an assessment Assisting the MoIA’s human resources management of national capacities (training, human and technical resourc- to develop a manual for planning priority training es, and structural requirements). The assessment report rec- activities; Skopje, North Macedonia ommended the development of a comprehensive interagency (1 November–15 December 2023) communication and information-sharing platform allowing for the real-time exchange of data. The report’s findings were pre- The Mission supported the development of a methodology sented at an event attended by representatives from the MoIA, and manual for planning and prioritizing training activities as the Agency for National Security, the Customs Administration, detailed in the revised MoIA Human Resources Management the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Finance Intelligence Office, Strategy 2023–2025. The Mission facilitated two working the Finance Police, and the National Committee for Counter- group meetings of the MoIA working group on human re- ing Terrorism and Violent Extremism. Discussions at the event sources management, and one workshop used to develop also highlighted the importance of adopting shared technical a methodology and manual on procedures for an analysis rules and SOPs, which can enhance information sharing and based on work performance, competencies and individual facilitate efficient interagency co-operation. needs for career development.

Training session on intelligence-led policing (ILP) for Support for the MoIA in conducting a uniformed police; Skopje, North Macedonia comprehensive baseline assessment of police (6–10 April 2023) oversight architecture and doctrine; Skopje, North Macedonia (1 September–27 November 2023) Police officers and mid-level management personnel, includ- ing commanders, deputy commanders, and assistant com- The Mission commissioned an external consultant to con- manders from all police stations across all Sectors of Internal duct a comprehensive baseline assessment of police over- Affairs, attended this training session to enhance institutional sight architecture and doctrine, supporting the MoIA with key understanding of the ILP model, focusing on the systematic conclusions and recommendations to improve their internal collection, organization, analysis and utilization of intelligence organizational understanding of democratic oversight of the to guide operational and tactical decision-making that leads police. The baseline assessment will be used as reference to the effective use and deployment of resources. The train- document in supporting national authorities in establishing ing session enhanced participants’ skills in information col- a robust and effective external police oversight system. The lection and analysis, and also equipped them with the tools assessment canvased representatives of the relevant institu- needed to effectively implement the ILP model. tions, including the Assembly of the Republic of North Mac- edonia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, Assisting MoIA’s human resources management to the Public Prosecution Office, the National Ombudsman, and develop a merit–based career development model; NGOs such as the Helsinki Committee, Eurothink and the Skopje, North Macedonia (January–September 2023) Macedonian Young Lawyer Association.

The Mission continued to engage in police reform at a stra- Assisting the MoIA in harmonizing, revising and tegic level by supporting the MoIA’s working group to devel- improving internal legal regulations governing the op policies and by-laws necessary for establishing a mer- disciplinary system; Struga and Skopje, it-based career development system. The MoIA working North Macedonia (16–20 October 2023, group, with the assistance of the Mission, formulated and 11–15 December 2023), drafted a merit-based promotion examination model. This model was approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs along The Mission hosted two meetings for members of the MoIA’s with proposed amendments to the primary legal framework, Human Resources Management Working Group and Disci-

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plinary Working Group to harmonize internal regulations in Standards and Quality Control within the Bureau for Public support of a new disciplinary structure and the creation of Security. The event brought together the Chiefs of Police Pre- new institutional integrity capacities, standards and meth- vention Units, police prevention officers from all Sectors for odologies to prevent misconduct and corrupt practices. The Internal Affairs, representatives of the Bureau of Public Safety, new disciplinary system will generate transparent, fair and the MoIA, local government authorities, as well as the Mis- consistent disciplinary decisions across the Ministry. sion and its Police Development Unit. This year the workshop was hosted by the Sector for Internal Affairs at Strumica. The Study visit to the Dutch Police on disciplinary working sessions covered crime prevention projects/activi- proceedings; Rotterdam, Netherlands ties for 2023, policing in ethnically mixed communities with (2–6 October 2023) an emphasis on challenges, approaches and community en- gagement in Roma inhabited settlements, and the challenges The Mission facilitated a study visit for supervisors from the and approaches to police work in multi-cultural environments. MoIA’s Department for Disciplinary and Court Proceedings to the Dutch Police, allowing them to gain first-hand insight into Supporting the MoIA in finalizing the action plan pre-disciplinary procedures and learn about preventative and for the Training Center Development Strategic rehabilitative interventions. They also had the opportunity to Priorities 2023–2025; Skopje, North Macedonia observe the role of supervisors performing a proactive lead- (May–September 2023) ership role in identifying patterns of inappropriate behaviour and implementing intervention strategies to promote high The Mission organized a series of MoIA Training Centre Working standards of professionalism and ethical behaviour. Group meetings on in-service training and continuous profes- sional education. It supported the development of an annual Workshop on gender differences in ethical policing training calendar, a catalogue of training possibilities, as well as dilemmas; Ohrid, North Macedonia (27–30 June 2023) a catalogue of job competencies. These activities formed part of the review process of the basic police training curriculum. The Mission, in co-operation with the MoIA’s Sector for Pro- fessional Conduct, Prevention and Integrity, conducted a Assisting the MoIA in the advancement of workshop that focused on the nexus between ethnics and management training for mid-level supervisors; Bitola, gender attended by mid- and senior-level managers. Top- Kumanovo, Ohrid, Skopje, Stip, Strumica, Tetovo and ics included gender-related ethical dilemmas, diversity and Veles, North Macedonia (May–June 2023) inclusion, as well as the significance of these concepts for police leadership. The main goal of the activity was to rein- As part of the Mission’s ongoing support to the MoIA to en- force the role of mid-management in maintaining standards hance managerial and leadership training to mid-level police and raising awareness about the need for including gender- managers, the second phase of the training needs analysis sensitive policies and approaches. (TNA) was completed. The Mission visited all Sectors of In- ternal Affairs and Regional Centres of Border Affairs to iden- Increasing operational capacities of the new tify the operational needs of mid-level police managers. The Disciplinary and Court Proceedings Department; TNA report has drawn conclusions from data analysis and Berovo, North Macedonia (22–26 May, produced recommendations and implementation guidelines 29 May–2 June 2023) for the development of a management training programme for mid-level police managers. The Mission facilitated two training courses for employees of the MoIA’s new Disciplinary and Court Proceedings Department. Workshop on the operational effectiveness of The training courses were designed as part of the Mission’s the current training architecture; Struga, North ongoing support to the MoIA efforts to establish an effective, Macedonia (12–13 October 2023) impartial, consistent and transparent disciplinary process. The training courses covered the use of prevention mechanisms to The Mission organized and hosted a workshop for MoIA repre- reduce misconduct, as well as an analysis and assessment of sentatives for a holistic joint assessment of the operational ef- the relevant by-laws and other related internal regulations. fectiveness of the current training architecture. The workshop resulted in recommendations to enhance the functionality of Annual workshop of the Police Prevention Units; the entire training system. The workshop focused on improve- Gevgelija, North Macedonia (4–6 October 2023) ments to the centralized and decentralized training platforms, the application of a modern approach of hybrid learning, the The Police Prevention Units Workshop 2023 was organized use of the Learning Management System, and the role of the in partnership with the MoIA’s Unit for Strategic Planning, Training Centre and the regional training co-ordinators.

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Delivering custom-made training on leadership skills creating a training package focused on interviewing victims. to middle management at the borders; Skopje, North The training package encourages a multi-agency approach Macedonia (9–11 May 2023) and balancing victim rights with the objective of gathering the best evidence. To ensure the long-term viability of this initia- The Mission conducted a tailored training programme fo- tive, the Mission is committed to assisting the MoIA’s Training cused on leadership skills specifically designed for mid-level Centre to integrate this package into the annual training cata- managers working at the borders. The programme incorpo- logue and to develop a syllabus for both basic and advanced rated training-of-trainers on issues such as integrity, identi- continuous training programmes. fying talent and dealing with poor performance. It benefited border police officers, customs officers under the Integrated Study visit to Sweden to observe policies, Border Management concept, as well as members of the procedures and training in EU standards of initial Training Centre staff. responses to allegations of intimate partner and family violence; Vaxho, Sweden (23–28 April 2023) Delivering courses for newly appointed Training Centre staff; Skopje, North Macedonia The Mission organized a study visit to the Department for Crim- (8–19 May 2023) inology and Police Education at the University of Linnaeus, Sweden to learn about Swedish good practices, including The Mission supported the further development of training policies and procedures, specialist training, and the roles and skills of staff at the Training Centre and of the regional train- responsibilities of institutions within a multi-agency approach. ing co-ordinators by developing and delivering ToT courses The experience gained will be incorporated into the products to newly appointed and serving trainers at both the national drafted by the MoIA Working Group on Improving Initial Re- and local level. The main focus of the courses was a training sponses to Victims of Intimate Partner and Family Violence. needs analysis and instruction in delivery skills. Training-of-trainers course on advanced victim Introduction of community impact assessments; interviews and taking statements in response to Skopje, North Macedonia (4–5 December 2023) allegations of intimate partner and family violence; Skopje, North Macedonia (23–29 April 2023) The Mission introduced the concept of community impact assessments to MoIA senior officials as a tool to assess the The Mission enhanced the capacities of Sector of Internal Af- impact police actions and significant events can have on fairs of Tetovo, Bitola and Ohrid in initial responses to domes- community cohesion. tic and gender-based violence-related allegations of intimate partner and family violence by facilitating the delivery of a ToT Support for the MoIA in revising, drafting and course on advanced victim interviews and taking of state- implementing the Strategy on Community ments. The ToT course was tailored to meet the host country Engagement and Communication (CE&C) 2024–2026; requirements and to be in line with national legislation on al- Skopje, North Macedonia (April–November 2023) legations of intimate partner and family violence. The training course incorporated good practices in the initial response The MoIA, supported by the Mission, revised and updated to such allegations, including provision of victim care, victim the current Strategy on Community Engagement and Com- rights, and victim statement-taking and interviewing. munication (CE&C) for the upcoming period of 2024–2026. The strategy focuses on improving communication and rela- Workshop on the further development of Local tionships between the police and various communities, and Prevention Councils; Skopje, North Macedonia on increasing transparency in the work of the police. (15 December 2023)

Enhancing police responses to allegations of The Mission facilitated a roundtable discussion focused on intimate partner and family violence; Skopje and the development of Local Prevention Councils in Skopje, Tetovo, North Macedonia (April–December 2023) which included the Head of the Association of Units of Local Self-Governance (ZELS). During this meeting, it was high- The Mission supported a MoIA working group on aligning lighted that the Local Prevention Council concept stands as police procedures on gender-based violence and domestic the sole multi-agency platform within the country dedicated violence with European standards. This was achieved by to community safety and security.

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Enhancing police capabilities on hate speech and hate discussions helped to reinforce the training curricula and crime; Bitola, North Macedonia (16–18 October 2023) monitor the basic training courses on effective and human rights-compliant policing delivered to police officers across The Mission brought together police officers from the Sec- the country. tor of Internal Affairs Bitola. The workshop enhanced their understanding of the newly enacted domestic legislation on Support to the police and public prosecution hate crimes and hate speech, as well as relevant interna- offices to embed the protocol for their improved tional legislation. Participants were trained on the nuances co-ordination and Co-operation; Skopje, North between hate speech and other similar concepts, supported Macedonia (30 March 2023) by practical examples and exercises. These activities were designed to allow the officers to identify and distinguish hate The Mission facilitated the signing of a new protocol on co-op- speech from related phenomena, and to equip them with the eration between the police and public prosecution offices. The necessary tools to effectively address and combat these is- protocol provides an agreed framework for inter-operability sues within their jurisdiction. between the two institutions to improve co-ordination and co-operation. The protocol and its implementation offer a Engaging youth by organizing debates among significant opportunity to enhance the partnership between communities; Ohrid and Skopje, North Macedonia the police and prosecution offices in support of an effective (November–December 2023) and efficient criminal justice process in the country.

A forum for pupils provided a collaborative platform to ex- Workshops to enhance public engagement; Tetovo, press views and engage in discussions on personal and North Macedonia (November–December 2023) social safety, diversity and inter-ethnic communication. This initiative was complemented by a debate and a youth sports The Mission organized advanced training courses aimed at camp for the most active participants. Through these activi- crime prevention and border police officers improving their ties, the pupils enhanced their understanding of safety, diver- communication skills when engaging with local communities sity and inter-ethnic communication significantly, thus foster- and the media. The workshops were delivered as part of the ing a more inclusive and aware youth community. MoIA’s strategy on community engagement and communi- cation. Conducting the Public Perception Survey On Democratic Policing; across North Macedonia (2023) Engaging women on issues related to local security concerns affecting the family and community; Bitola, The 11th bi-annual Public Perception Survey on Democratic Gostivar, Ohrid, Prilep, Struga and Tetovo, North Policing evaluated the general public’s trust in the police. The Macedonia (April–November 2023) survey revealed overall public confidence in some aspects of police work, but also indicated significant improvement potential The Mission supported the MoIA in strengthening commu- in countering perceptions of police ineffectiveness in addressing nity engagement with local police working in multi-cultural crime and responding to general service calls, perceptions of settings by organizing workshops in the western part of the insufficient field presence, as well as a perceived lack of profes- country. The attendees identified local security problems and sionalism and performance. The 2023 survey further revealed highlighted the need for women to share their security con- that a large number of police officers are critical of the service’s cerns with police or other relevant authorities. The discussion politicization, its perceived lack of professionalism, inefficiencies promoted a gender perspective on public security and facil- in resolving crimes and internal structural problems. itated the engagement of women in the resolution of local community safety issues affecting them, their families and Assisting the MoIA in implementing the strategy children. “Police and Roma – Effective and human rights– compliant policing; across North Macedonia (June–December 2023)

The Mission assisted in improving the MoIA’s capacities to implement the strategy “Police and Roma – Effective and human rights-compliant policing” by organizing pre- and post-training roundtable discussions with trainers. These

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Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Assessing the concept of protecting soft targets explored practical aspects such as intelligence collection, against terrorist attacks for law enforcement co-operation, tasking and co-ordination. The discussions authorities and other security institutions; Skopje, will feed into the finalization of the Intelligence-Led Policing North Macedonia (27–28 September 2023) (ILP) Action Plan (2023–2025), which establishes internal practices for intelligence-based decision-making and effec- The Mission, in co-ordination with the National Coordinator tive resource allocation. In addition, representatives from the for Countering Violent Extremism and Countering Terrorism, Financial Police and Customs Agency attended the exercise enabled participants of a workshop to assess the concept of in order to increase their understanding of the ILP concept protecting soft targets against terrorist attacks. The partici- with a view to implementing the concept within their respec- pants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Bureau for Pub- tive agencies. lic Security, the Ministry of Defense, the Agency for Nation- al Security, the Intelligence Agency, the Crisis Management Testing operational integrated border management Centre, the Protection and Rescue Department, the Cham- protocols between North Macedonia and Greece – ber for Private Security and the ambulance service of Skopje Hot pursuit simulation; Skopje, North Macedonia were shown several case studies concerning co-ordinated (20–22 November 2023) terrorist attacks and applied newly acquired skills such as risk assessment and command and control methodologies to a The Mission facilitated interagency and regional co-operation similar scenario concerning attacks on soft targets in Skopje. by assisting North Macedonia and Greece in organizing a cross-border surveillance simulation exercise. In co-opera- Tabletop exercise “ILP – strategic management and tion with Border Police and police representatives from both operational leadership”; Skopje, North Macedonia countries, the simulation provided a platform to evaluate (20 September 2023) communication protocols, enhance operational efficiency, promote interagency co-operation, and refine “controlled The tabletop exercise “ILP – strategic management and delivery” protocols. The simulation’s outcomes highlighted operational leadership” highlighted institutional gaps and the need for improved formal communication, co-ordination identified key recommendations to improve multi-agency mechanisms and cross-border intelligence sharing. Partici co-operation, strategic management, operational leadership pant feedback emphasized the importance of realistic en- and regional police co-operation. The participants, who pos- gagements, bilateral protocols, and the establishment of a sessed various levels of experience with the intelligence-led Common Contact Centre (Police and Customs Co-operation policing (ILP) model, engaged in open discussions on the Centre) for real-time information exchange. This event laid crucial role of managers in implementing ILP, disseminat- the foundation for enhanced co-operation, addressing chal- ing knowledge and supporting decision-making. They also lenges and improving communication procedures.

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2.2 Eastern Europe 2.2.1 Mission to Moldova

Introduction

The OSCE Mission to Moldova is facilitating a comprehensive and lasting political settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict in all its aspects in order to strengthen the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders with a special status for Transdniestria. Since 2012, all 57 OSCE participating States have endorsed these principles of a final settlement in annual Ministerial Council Statements.

▶ Combating trafficking in human beings: First national simulation exercise; Chișinău, Republic of Moldova (18–22 September 2023)

Moldova is ramping up the fight against THB. The OSCE Mission to Moldova organized the first national simulation-based exercise on combating THB, in co-operation with the Moldovan State Chancellery and with the expert support from the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. During the simulated exercise, practitioners from law enforcement authorities, social workers, prosecutors, magistrates, as well as representatives of left- and right-bank civil society organizations worked together to identify and assist victims of trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation. As part of the simulation, the participants investigated cases, detained traffickers and prepared judicial cases against them. The event was practitioner-focused and enhanced the co-operation between institutions in working together to end trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation.

Combating trafficking in human beings: First national simulation exercise; Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, 18–22 September 2023. OSCE

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The Head of Human Rights and Cooperation with Civil Society Department in the State Chancellery stated that “the training programme is designed to improve the participants’ abilities, foster valuable connections among professionals, and demonstrate the value of a multidisciplinary approach to human trafficking cases. Additionally, simulation-based training will help the agencies involved to effectively fulfil their international anti-trafficking commitments.”

One participant said that the experience “contributed to the improvement of the quality of services and our performance” and “was extremely useful, as it also clearly demonstrated the importance of timely involvement of every stakeholder in the process of working with victims.”

Another participant observed that “the direct involvement in joint actions with other actors such as prosecutor’s office, shelter, civil society organizations, etc., has strengthened inter-departmental relations and has shown us that only in co-operation we can succeed and achieve a result oriented to the victim’s needs and interests, which is superior to other ways of fighting human trafficking.”

Combating trafficking in human beings: First national simulation exercise; Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, 18–22 September 2023. OSCE

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2.3 Central Asia 2.3.1 Programme Office in Bishkek

Introduction

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB), previously the Centre in Bishkek, was established in 1998 to promote the implementation of OSCE commitments in all three dimensions of comprehensive security, to facilitate the exchange of information, to establish and maintain contacts with local authorities, academia and civil society institutions, and to provide support based on the evolving needs and priorities of the Kyrgyz Republic.

▶ Effective assistance provided by the mobile police reception (MPR) team; Issyk-Kul province, Kyrgyzstan (throughout 2023)

“Over the past three years, we have been collaborating closely with the MPR team, focusing on a critical responsibility: delivering social support to those in need. Our mission is to assist families and individuals facing economic challenges, disabilities, single parenthood, elderly individuals without children, and anyone requiring social support”, says Mamytova Gulmira, Social Protection Department Specialist at the Balykchy City Administration.

MPR teams have been invaluable in facilitating the work of the city administration and ensuring government support for the aforementioned groups. One case example highlights the urgent and tangible assistance provided by the MPR teams. The city administration co-ordinates with MPR teams when carrying out monitoring visits to vulnerable groups such as low-income families with young children. During one of these visits, officers from the city administration discovered that the parents were absent, leaving their young children, one of whom was only two years old, alone at home with doors, windows and the balcony open. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the MPR team acted promptly, and quickly located the children’s parents. They conducted consultative work with the parents, offering guidance and necessary support. It was emphasized to the parents that leaving young children unattended posed significant safety risks. In addition, the MPR team offered further assistance by putting the family in touch with the relevant government institutions.

General police development and reform

Donation ceremony of computer equipment and this occasion, the OSCE POiB and the MoI KR also signed signing of the 2023 Co-operation plan with the the 2023 co-operation plan. During the meeting, participants Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan; Bishkek, discussed the further development of bilateral relations, the Kyrgyzstan (20 February 2023) successful implementation of the 2022 co-operation plan, the report of the OSCE Secretariat on the results of the as- The donation ceremony of computer tablets for mobile po- sessment mission in Kyrgyzstan, the continuation of reforms lice reception (MPR) teams took place at the Central Office of internal affairs bodies, and the expansion of co-operation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan (MoI KR). On with international partners.

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Signature of the 2023 Co-operation plan with the Support of capacity-building of the MoI MPR Kyrgyz Association of Women in the Security Sector; Monitoring and Co-ordination Centre and MPR Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (28 February 2023) monitoring visits; countrywide, Kyrgyzstan (14 June–6 July 2023) In the framework of the Memorandum of Co-operation between the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the In 2010, the MoI KR, in co-operation with the POiB, intro- Kyrgyz Association of Women in the Security Sector, the or- duced MPR teams to enhance public–police co-operation ganizations signed their 2023 co-operation plan outlining the and increase public trust in the police. MPR teams are con- main join activities for the year. During the signing ceremony, sidered one of the most effective types of community polic- the Chairperson of the Association highlighted the impor- ing practices. They also provide easier access for the general tance of co-operation and the POiB’s support, especially in public to government services. During the monitoring visits, the empowerment of women in the law enforcement agen- representatives of the MoI KR, the MPR Local Public Coun- cies, in combating gender-based and domestic violence, cils Association and an international expert assessed and and in the prevention of crimes against youth. evaluated MPR activities and efficiency in all seven provinces.

Training session on democratic policing principles Seminar on integrative psychological assistance in and maintaining community security; Batken, Chuy, optimizing the level of subjective vitality; Bishkek, Issyk-Kul, Jalal–Abad, Osh, Talas and Naryn regions, Kyrgyzstan (12–14 July 2023) Kyrgyzstan (25 September–25 October 2023) The POiB supported the MoI KR with a seminar on integrative The POiB, in co-operation with the MoI KR Public Safety psychological assistance in optimizing the level of subjective Department, conducted training seminars in regional police vitality and related areas. The seminar was held at the Re- departments. The training seminars aimed to enable MoI KR public Training Centre of the MoI KR in Bishkek. The seminar staff and mobile police reception (MPR) teams to apply com- brought together police staff from all regions of Kyrgyzstan, munity policing principles and prevent domestic violence and who enhanced their knowledge on topics such as integrative VERLT. They brought together community policing officers, psychological assistance, methods of psychodiagnostics juvenile delinquency inspectors, local government authori- and integrative psychological counseling. The main purpose ties, active members of civil society and MPR teams. The of the activity was to build capacity to provide professional seminars were led by representatives of the MoI KR and ex- psychological support to the MoI KR staff, as well as to im- perts contracted by the POiB. prove co-operation and information exchange between MoI KR psychologists. MPR local public council co-ordination meeting; Issyk-Kul province, Kyrgyzstan (15–16 June 2023) Training course for the MoI press service; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (17–19 April 2023) The POiB held a co-ordination meeting to improve the ef- fectiveness of MPR teams and to discuss challenges and To support the professional development of MoI KR press opportunities for their development. Representatives from service officers, the POiB, in co-operation with the MoI KR the MoI KR and local MPR public councils, which play a cru- press service and the MoI KR Academy, conducted a training cial role in providing civilian oversight of MPR activities, es- course on “mobilography” at the MoI KR Academy. Led by tablished working contacts and adopted solutions outlining local experts, the course enhanced the participants’ under- the principles of co-operation between MPR teams and local standing of social networks and helped them gain skills in public councils. taking higher quality photos, creating content and recording videos for publication online. The event also enabled pro- Introduction of a new MPR team; Bishkek, fessional networking among participants, the exchange of Kyrgyzstan (25 August 2023) good practices, and dialogue among MoI KR press service officers. Increasing public trust in the police and improving police– public co-operation are two priorities of the POiB. In 2023, “My Police” mobile application: Enhancing the POiB donated a fully equipped and marked MPR vehicle co-operation of MoI KR departments with civil to the MoI KR and also assisted with an induction training society; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (28 December 2023) course for new MPR team members in Batken. This and other initiatives are expanding the practice of MPRs to territorial In 2022, the MoI KR Public Safety Department introduced police departments and are enhancing the co-operation be- the “My Police” application to enhance co-operation be- tween the police and civil society. tween citizens and the police. The MoI KR co-operated with

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the Turkish Police, which had previously developed a similar public in Issyk-Kul province. Participants from the different mobile application (KADES – Support for Women). In 2023, departments of the MoI KR and its educational institutions, the POiB supplied the required IT equipment, consisting of the State Committee on National Security, and representa- one server, two hard drives and six tablets. tives from the Ministry of Health participated in the ToT, shar- ing insights on needed amendments to current legislation. Meetings between the MoI KR, the OSCE Secretariat The ToT concluded by formulating a set of recommendations and OSCE participating States; Vienna, Austria on ensuring zero tolerance to gender-based and domestic (27–28 November 2023) violence.

The POiB facilitated high-level visit of an MoI KR delegation Information session for schoolchildren on the rights, led by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Lieutenant duties and responsibilities of minors, countering General Ulan Niiazbekov to the OSCE Secretariat to conduct transnational threats, and preventing domestic official meetings with the OSCE Transnational Threats De- violence; countrywide, Kyrgyzstan (11–24 May 2023) partment and delegations of Austria, Finland, Germany and the United States. The main purpose of the meetings was The POiB, supporting an initiative of the KAWSS, provided to present ideas for projects related to MPR teams, VERLT, information sessions on the rights, duties and responsibili- digitalization and forensics. ties of minors, countering transnational threats, and prevent- ing domestic violence. The sessions were conducted in 20 Sponsoring of classrooms at the MoI KR Republican schools in all provinces of the Kyrgyz Republic and addressed Training Centre in Bishkek and its branch in Osh; high school students, teachers and parents. The sessions Bishkek and Osh, Kyrgyzstan (28 April, were organized with the support of local juvenile delinquency 4 September 2023) inspectors in the different regions of Kyrgyzstan, as well as local representatives of the KAWSS. Each schoolchild was To enhance the teaching capacity of the MoI KR Republi- given a brochure in Kyrgyz and Russian languages with a list can Training Centre in the areas of community policing, MPR of the main articles of laws affecting the rights, duties and team operations in multi-ethnic communities, and preventing responsibilities of minors, including contact details on whom domestic and gender-based violence, the POiB supported to contact if a child finds themself in a difficult situation. the Training Centre by sponsoring specialized training rooms at the Centre’s premises in Bishkek and Osh. Participation of the Kyrgyz Association of Women Police (KAWP) Chairperson in a regional conference Training seminar on law enforcement work during on increasing women’s participation in law extreme and emergency situations; Osh, Kadamjay enforcement in Central Asia; Astana, Kazakhstan and Kyzyl–Kiya, Kyrgyzstan (13, 15, 17 March 2023) (14–15 September 2023)

The POiB, together with the Kyrgyz Association of Women in To promote women’s participation in law enforcement in the Security Sector (KAWSS), organized a training seminar on Central Asia, the POiB supported the participation of the law enforcement work during extreme and emergency situa- Chairperson of the KAWP in a regional conference organized tions. The participants included community policing officers, by the OSCE Secretariat’s Gender Issues Programme/WIN juvenile delinquency inspectors, teaching staff of the MoI KR Project, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Hu- Republican Training Centre in Osh, and representatives of the man Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, Public Safety Department of the Kadamjay and Kyzyl-Kiya the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department/ territorial police. The training was led by three national experts Strategic Police Matters Unit, and the OSCE Secretariat’s and focused on national and international standards in pro- Conflict Prevention Centre/Operations Service in Astana, Ka- tecting human rights and maintaining public safety and secu- zakhstan. The conference discussions focused on opportu- rity during extreme and emergency situations. nities and challenges for women in the security sector. The conference concluded with a set of recommendations for Training-of-trainers for law enforcement to address breaking down gender barriers and promoting women’s in- the increasing number of cases of gender-based volvement in the security sector. The Chairperson presented and domestic violence; Issyk-Kul province, her ideas on establishing a Central Asian Regional Associa- Kyrgyzstan (6–8 September 2023) tion of Women in the Security Sector.

The POiB, in co-operation with the KAWSS, organized train- ing sessions for members of the Association, and represent- atives of the law enforcement authorities of the Kyrgyz Re-

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16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence International conference “Women, peace and campaign in Kyrgyzstan; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan security: problems and development prospects”; (8 December 2023) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (6 June 2023)

The POiB, in co-operation with the KAWSS, organized The KAWSS, supported by the POiB, organized a conference a roundtable to support the “16 Days of Activism Against entitled “Women, Peace and Security: Problems and Devel- Gender-based Violence” campaign. Participants from the opment Prospects”, which saw the participation of the OSCE Presidential Administration, the Ombudsman Apparatus, the Secretary General, First Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Parliament, the Ministry of Interior, NGOs and civil society Kyrgyz Republic, the United Nations Resident C o-ordinator discussed the importance of strengthening the capacity of in the Kyrgyz Republic, the Executive Director of the Pakistan women and promoting women as active participants in the Research Center for a Community with Shared Future, and prevention of violence against women and girls. The event the First Vice President of the International Association of also featured performances of students from the Kyrgyz Women Police. Participants from government institutions of State University. Kyrgyzstan, from international organizations and from unions took part in the event.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Consultation meeting of the Shanghai Co-operation with cryptocurrency laundering and how to identify people Organization (SCO) Member States on establishing committing remote embezzlement. the Centre on Countering Transnational Organized Crime; Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyzstan (14 June 2023) Support for the participation of MoI KR police officers in a training course on countering criminal The POiB supported the MoI KR in the organization of a offences in the sphere of digital information; consultation meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organi- Voronezh, Russia (7–17 November 2023) zation (SCO) Members States on establishing the Centre on Countering Transnational Organized Crime. The consultation The POiB supported the participation of police officers of the meeting was attended by representatives from SCO Member MoI KR in a training course organized by the Voronezh Insti- States, observer states, the SCO Secretariat, and the Execu- tute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation on tive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure. countering criminal offences in the sphere of digital informa- The Centre is envisioned to act as a standing branch-specific tion. The training course taught participants to identify crimes body of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure. It is de- in the information space, analyse and collect digital evidence, signed to co-ordinate among the competent authorities of and ensure information security. the SCO Member States in combating transnational organ- ized crime. Support for the participation of MoI KR officials in the 91st session of the INTERPOL General Training course on the collection of information to Assembly; Vienna, Austria counter organized cybercrime; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (28 November–1 December 2023) (18–22 September 2023) The POiB supported the participation of a MoI KR delegation The POiB supported the MoI KR in organizing a training in the 91st session of the INTERPOL General Assembly in course entitled “Disclosure of crimes in the field of embezzle- Vienna, Austria. The assembly focused on key global security ment of financial resources using information and telecom- issues and the use of emerging technologies in policing. It also munication technologies”. The training course was conduct- provided a platform for member countries, including the Kyrgyz ed by international experts, who familiarized the participants Republic, to engage in discussions about critical crime threats.

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Supporting the annual national Drug Abuse Competition between canine services of the Kyrgyz Prevention Campaign; countrywide, Kyrgyzstan Republic; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (18–20 October 2023) (throughout 2023) The POiB assisted the MoI KR in organizing a three-day ca- The POiB supported the MoI KR and other agencies in or- nine competition among four teams consisting three canine ganizing and implementing the annual national “Drug Abuse officers and two service dogs representing four law enforce- Prevention Campaign” among young people, which was ment agencies of Kyrgyzstan: the State Service for Execution rolled out throughout the year in all regions of Kyrgyzstan. of Punishments, the Service on Countering Illicit Drug Traf- The campaign endorsed intolerance towards drug abuse, ficking, the State Customs Service, and the Border Service. and provided information about the risks associated with the The canine competition allowed the MoI KR to identify and abuse of drugs, ways of choosing a healthy lifestyle, how to recognize outstanding canine specialists, and strengthened be a supportive parent and how to maintain a safe commu- co-operation among canine units of different law enforce- nity environment. More than 300 prevention activities were ment authorities. carried out with more than 5,100 young people involved. Ac- tivities included sports competitions, intellectual games and Development of a draft law on narcotic drugs, other cultural events. The POiB also organized a roundtable psychoactive substances, their analogues and for university students in Bishkek, which raised awareness precursors; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (throughout 2023) of the negative consequences of drug abuse among youth. The POiB collaborated with the Service on Countering Illicit Enhancing professional capacities of MoI KR Drug Trafficking (SCIDT) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of officers through a training session on countering the Kyrgyz Republic to develop a new draft law on narcotic the spread of synthetic drugs on the internet; Osh drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues and pre- (12–13 June 2023), Issyk-Kul province cursors. The law equips law enforcement authorities with the (15–16 June 2023), Kyrgyzstan necessary tools and mechanisms to effectively address the challenges posed by criminals involved in illicit drug trafficking. The POiB conducted a training course entitled “Countering the spread of synthetic drugs on the internet”. The training course in Osh gathered police officer from southern prov- inces of the country, while the training seminar in Issyk-Kul province gathered participants from northern regions. The training courses focused on recognizing the various ways in- formation on synthetic drugs is spread on the internet.

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2.3.3 Programme Office in Dushanbe

Introduction

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD), established as the OSCE Bureau in Tajikistan in 1994, is mandated to assist the Republic of Tajikistan in the formation of modern approaches to security issues and threats. In accordance with the existing OSCE concept on policing, the POiD undertakes measures to build the capacities of law enforcement agencies in the Republic of Tajikistan, and assists the Government in developing and reforming internal affairs bodies.

▶ Information and sports to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent drug abuse across Tajikistan; Bokhtar, Dushanbe, Khorog, Khujand, Kulyab and Tursunzade, Tajikistan (2–26 June 2023)

The POiD supported the Drug Control Agency (DCA) of Tajikistan in conducting public awareness and information campaigns in five administrative centres across the country. The campaigns promoted and encouraged healthy lifestyles to prevent or reduce the level of drug abuse among youth. Young people participated in sports competitions, including volleyball, mini-football, checkers and chess, wrestling and table tennis. They also enjoyed theatrical performances and engaged in group discussions. More than 7,000 residents attended the events. Around 1,000 young people took part in the sports competitions. The DCA co-operated closely with local authorities in the organization of the events, which were carried out in the framework of the “National Drug Control Strategy in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2021–2030”.

General police development and reform

Embedding human rights and gender mainstreaming ed the participants through a comprehensive programme to in law enforcement activities; Dushanbe, Tajikistan equip them with knowledge and skills to fight drug abuse (24–26 April 2023) and the trafficking of narcotics.

The POiD supported the Tajik Drug Control Agency (DCA) Support in the development of legislation on public by organizing a practical training course on human rights participation in ensuring public order; Khisor and and the mainstreaming of gender aspects in the work of Khujand, Tajikistan (27 February–3 March, law enforcement authorities. During the event, DCA officers 25 September–1 October 2023) learned about the role of gender aspects and gender equality in law enforcement work, including issues such as women’s An interagency working group came together to finalize the rights and gender discrimination. They also reviewed forms draft Law on Public Participation in Ensuring Public Order of domestic violence and discussed prevention measures. and to develop a new Provision on Public Councils. The The discussions also focused on the rights to freedom and working group was supported by the POiD and is an initia- personal inviolability of detainees. National experts also guid- tive of the Public Councils on Police Reform under the Tajik

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Ministry of Internal Affairs. It brought together representatives Law on Public Participation in Ensuring Public Order was offi- of the Presidential Apparatus, and the Ministries of Internal cially adopted. A second meeting of the interagency working Affairs, Justice and Finance. The working group provided the group drafted two new provisions on Public Councils and Ministry of Internal Affairs with a final draft of the law, which on a Special Fund for Contributions, which are envisaged was sent on to the Presidential Apparatus for final review pri- to become Annexes to the Law on Public Participation in or to its submission to Parliament. On 22 June 2023, the new Ensuring Public Order.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Enhancing the capacities of the Tajik Drug Control organized by the Turkish International Academy against Agency (DCA) to counter drug trafficking; Istanbul, Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC). The training course Türkiye (18–24 December 2023) equipped the DCA officers with the knowledge, techniques and skills required to use intelligence as part of investigations The POiD enabled DCA officers to attend a specialized train- into drug-related crimes. In both theoretical and practical ing course entitled “Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking: Con- sessions, the participants learned about strategic and tacti- ducting Intelligence Activities During Investigation Processes”, cal assessments, as well as data analysis.

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2.3.4 Programme Office in Astana

Introduction

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana (POiA) is an OSCE field operation based in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. The POiA works on security issues, including arms control, border management, the fight against terrorism, trafficking in human beings, arms and drugs, economic and environmental topics, issues related to human rights and rule of law, and media freedom.

As of 23 September 2022, the name of the Programme Office in Nur-Sultan was changed to Programme Office in Astana following the name change of Kazakhstan’s capital. The change is reflected in the Journal of the 1390th Plenary Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council. The Mandate remains unchanged. The POiA, established as the Centre in Almaty in 1998, promotes the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments, facilitates contacts and exchanges of information, and provides assistance to the government of Kazakhstan on police- related matters.

General police development and reform

A series of activities to increase Kazakhstan’s Revision of the draft legal act aimed at regulating capacities in countering cybercrimes; Almaty, the status and mandate of interagency security Astana and Karaganda, Kazakhstan partnerships; Astana, Kazakhstan (October–November 2023) (July–December 2023)

The POiA undertook a series of strategic initiatives aimed at As part of Kazakhstan’s reforms to enhance law enforcement strengthening Kazakhstan’s cybercrime defenses. An interna- transparency and community engagement, significant pro- tional conference in Astana, co-hosted with the Kazakh Ministry gress has been made towards embedding a service-oriented of Interior (MoI) and the Council of Europe, fostered high-level policing model, as advocated by President Kassym-Jomart discussions on international co-operation against cybercrime, Tokayev in the National Development Plan of the Republic emphasizing the need for comprehensive training. Visits to po- of Kazakhstan until 2025. To solidify the role of interagency lice academies in Almaty and Karaganda aimed at assessing security partnerships (ISPs) within this framework, the MoI, and elevating educational standards to address cybercrime and supported by the POiA, initiated a legislative process to de- at implementing international good practices. A meeting be- fine the status and mandates of ISPs within regional crime tween the Head of the POiA and the Minister of Interior under- prevention commissions. An expert updated the draft legal scored the commitment to continued collaboration, culminating act and ensured its alignment with project management prin- in the endorsement of a revised Joint Action Plan for combating ciples as per directives from the Presidential Administration. cybercrime. These efforts underscored the importance of inter- This endeavour marks a crucial step towards institutional- national collaboration, innovative education, and strategic plan- izing ISPs, which will strengthen Kazakhstan’s approach to ning in bolstering capabilities to counter cybercrime. community policing and crime prevention.

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Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Multiple workshops on combating technology– ficking. The workshops will continue in 2024 with a focus on facilitated trafficking in human beings; Almaty, the practical application of knowledge gained, ensuring that Astana and Karaganda, Kazakhstan practitioners and front-line police officers build the capaci- (May–November 2023) ty to effectively combat technology-facilitated THB through hands-on training and skill development. In an effort to strengthen Kazakhstan’s response to technol- ogy-facilitated trafficking of human beings (THB), the POiA ToT workshops on countering cybercrimes; organized three training workshops on investigating of tech- Aktau, Almatya and Kosshy, Kazakhstan nology-facilitated THB in Almaty, Astana and Karaganda. As (April–December 2023) part of the activity, training was offered to police officers rep- resenting the Kazakh MoI Departments on Combating Or- In 2023, the POiA collaborated with UNODC and the local ganized Crimes from north, west and south Kazakhstan. The office of the US State Department’s Bureau of International activity was implemented in co-operation with the Interna- Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to offer a series of tional Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the workshops designed to bolster Kazakhstan’s law enforce- EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia ment capabilities to counter cybercrime. Initiatives included (BOMCA), and the Karaganda Police Academy. The curric- developing training programmes at the Law Enforcement ulum was designed to enhance operational skills in utilizing Academy to enhance investigative techniques, digital fo- technical solutions for investigating THB cases. Updated rensics, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) practices. modules explained the use of web scraping, machine learn- With an emphasis on international co-operation, activities ing tools, and cyber infiltration to expedite the identification included various practical exercises, such as navigating the of criminal networks. The training programme covered covert darknet and managing digital evidence. The workshop se- internet operations, including the investigation of sexual and ries concluded with an advanced ToT course in Aktau, which gender-based exploitation, illegal recruitment, forced labour prepared specialists to carry out further training activities on advertising, organ removal, money laundering and child traf- combating cybercrime within their own institutions.

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2.3.5 Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

Introduction

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), established in 2006, supports the host country authorities in strengthening anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) in line with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Since 2012, the core activities of the PCUz in combating money laundering and terrorism financing have followed a risk-based approach and focused on capacity-building for the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Uzbek General Prosecutor’s Office, which is engaged in AML/CFT measures.

Since 2007, the PCUz has been providing assistance to the Police Academy under the MoI to improve the Academy’s training potential. Special attention has been paid to the training and professional development of specialists and cadets at the Academy in the areas of terrorism, extremism and cyber security.

General police development and reform

Series of webinars on trends in contemporary policing; Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tashkent, Uzbekistan (June–November 2023) Uzbekistan. Teachers and cadets learned about key trends and developments in the threats posed by malicious soft- The PCUz and TNTD jointly organized a series of webi- ware (malwares), online payment fraud, the darknet criminal nars on trends in contemporary policing for cadets of the landscape and cryptocurrency-related crimes.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Training course on digital forensics; Tashkent, sics: Problems and Development Prospects”. As part of the Uzbekistan (25–27 October 2023) course, law enforcement professionals expanded their knowl- edge of investigative methods for crimes committed online, and The PCUz, in close co-operation with the Law Enforcement learned about collecting and analysing data on cryptocurrency Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, conducted a training transactions used for criminal purposes as well as other investi- course taught by international experts entitled “Digital Foren- gative methods utilizing open-source intelligence (OSINT).

99 3 Police-Related Activities of other OSCE Institutions Police-Related Activities of other OSCE Institutions

3.1 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

Introduction

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) provides assistance to OSCE participating States in the implementation of their human dimension commitments. In doing so, ODIHR works with governments and civil society to promote, in close co-operation with other OSCE executive structures and international organizations, compliance of policing practices with fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and tolerance and non-discrimination.

▶ Polish police prepare to deliver ODIHR hate crime training activities throughout Poland (12–14 December 2023)

ODIHR organized a three-day training-of-trainers (ToT) course to equip police professionals with the tools and knowledge to replicate ODIHR’s hate crime training courses across the police force in Poland. The event followed a needs assessment mission conducted in August 2023 and delivered an updated curriculum for Poland, which includes new modules on sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime victims. Equipped with the new curriculum and a fresh pool of trainers, in 2024 the Polish Police Training Centre in Legionowo will organize at least three ten-day ToT courses on hate crime to share this knowledge with police officers across Poland.

Lecturer at ODIHR hate crime training activities throughout Poland, 12–14 December 2023. OSCE /ODIHR

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General police development and reform

Research paper on policewomen associations in the workshop to review the existing framework and practices OSCE area: Presentation of key findings and next on hate crime data recording and collection in Slovenia. The steps for OSCE staff; Vienna, Austria, and online aim of the workshop was to identify gaps, discuss potential (31 January 2023) solutions and propose steps to improve the national system of hate crime data collection. Participants developed a list of ODIHR and TNTD/SPMU organized a presentation of the priority steps to follow up on after the workshop. findings of a research paper on policewomen associations. The event targeted OSCE staff working with law enforcement Policy workshop for the working group on gender institutions. Participants reflected on the findings of the re- mainstreaming in police reform; Dushanbe, search, highlighting key factors necessary for the success Tajikistan (1 May 2023) of policewomen associations. Participants also listened to experiences shared by OSCE field operations working with The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, ODIHR and these associations. The event served as a platform to dis- SPMU delivered a policy workshop on gender mainstreaming cuss an OSCE approach on policewomen associations and in police reform for participants representing the Public Order was held as a hybrid event, with participants joining both in Department of the Tajik Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Gen- person in Vienna and online. der Sensitive Police Units, the Dushanbe Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Police Academy, Tajikistan’s 34th OSCE Border Management Staff College annual Committee on Women and Family Affairs and CSOs working courses; Dushanbe, Tajikistan (22–23 March 2023) on gender issues. ODIHR delivered sessions on the inter- national legal framework related to gender-based violence ODIHR delivered a training course on human rights and gen- (GBV), international good practices of police gender-sensi- der in border security and management. Participants from tive approaches in responding to GBV, case studies related fourteen countries working in the field of border management to sexual harassment, good practices in the recruitment of in various capacities represented law enforcement authorities, women into the police, and on administrative GBV-related Ministries of Interior and Ministries of Finance, Prime Minister data collection and management. offices, Ombudsperson offices, intelligence services and the military. ODIHR delivered sessions on human rights in border Training session for law enforcement: “Protecting management, gender in border security and management, human rights while countering terrorism effectively”; gender equality in security sector agencies, and sexual- and Khiva and Bukhara, Uzbekistan (11–17 May 2023) gender-based violence in the security sector, including during situations of armed conflict. The sessions included discussion ODIHR and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan rounds, as well as practical exercises and role-play. organized two basic training workshops for law enforcement staff and prosecutors on protecting human rights while effec- CEPOL webinar for EU Eastern Partnership tively countering terrorism. ODIHR involved national trainers countries; online (3 April 2023) from Uzbek law enforcement education institutions and its National Human Rights Centre in the delivery of these work- ODIHR presented on its work in hate crime data recording shops. The two training workshops fostered national owner- and collection as well as with hate crime victims and civil ship of the activity and opened up further opportunities for society during a webinar organized by CEPOL. The webi- collaboration on potential future capacity-building activities in nar was organized as part of an EU-funded project aimed the areas of human rights and counter-terrorism. at strengthening strategic and operational co-operation in the EU Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Addressing the security needs of Jewish Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) to fight organized crime. communities in Ireland; Dublin, Ireland (22 May 2023) Workshop on hate crime data collection and recording in Slovenia; Ljubljana, Slovenia (20 April 2023) As part of the OSCE’s Words into Action to Address Intol- erance project, ODIHR, the European Commission, the ODIHR and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency brought World Jewish Congress, the Dublin Interfaith City Forum together representatives of Slovenia’s Ministry of Justice, and the Jewish community of Ireland organized a workshop National Police and State Prosecutor General’s Office for a to strengthen the co-operation between law enforcement

102 Police-Related Activities of other OSCE Institutions

authorities and Jewish communities in Ireland. The event Workshop on hate crime data recording and brought together representatives of Jewish communities, law collection in Germany; Berlin, Germany (7 June 2023) enforcement officials, civil society organizations and interna- tional experts. ODIHR and the European Union Agency for Fundamen- tal Rights (FRA) organized a workshop on hate crime data Training-of-trainers for the staff of the Gender collection and recording based on the principles of ODIHR’s Sensitive Police Units and the Ministry of Internal Information Against Hate Crimes Toolkit (INFAHCT) pro- Affairs Public Order Department; Dushanbe, gramme. The workshop brought together representatives of Tajikistan (23–25 May 2023) Germany’s Ministry of Interior, Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Berlin State Prose- The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe invited ODIHR to cutor’s Office, the Berlin State Criminal Police Office, several participate in a ToT course for the staff of the Gender Sen- representatives from police and interior ministries from differ- sitive Police Units and the Ministry of Internal Affairs Public ent federal states, and representatives from two CSOs. The Order Department on issues related to effective and gen- aim of the workshop was to review the existing framework der-sensitive responses to and handling of domestic violence and practices on hate crime data recording and collection cases. The course focused in particular on police interactions in Germany, and to identify gaps, discuss potential solutions in cases of domestic violence, including victim identification, and propose steps to improve the national system. referral evidence collection, procedures for opening cases, interviewing of victims, psychological aspects of working Regional workshop for South-Eastern Europe on with domestic violence victims and perpetrators, and prob- detention monitoring and the protection of human lems occurring in providing assistance to victims of domestic rights while preventing and countering VERLT in violence. prisons; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (13–14 September 2023) Launch of the ODIHR publication Understanding Anti-Roma Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security ODIHR held a major regional workshop on detention mon- Needs of Roma and Sinti Communities: A Practical itoring and the protection of human rights while preventing Guide; Warsaw, Poland (25 May 2023) and countering violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons. The objective of the event ODIHR launched its new publication Understanding An- was to promote dialogue and co-operation between state ti-Roma Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs authorities and detention monitors for enhanced oversight in of Roma and Sinti Communities: A Practical Guide. The in- this field. It was organized in co-operation with the OSCE tended audience of the publication includes representatives Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and with the support of of relevant government ministries from OSCE participating all other OSCE field operations in the region. Participants in- States, representatives of Roma and Sinti organizations, cluded law enforcement and penitentiary practitioners from other civil society organizations and international experts. relevant authorities, experts of national human rights struc- The Guide supports participating States in addressing the tures and civil society from six jurisdictions in South-Eastern problem of anti-Roma bias, discrimination, and hate crimes Europe, as well representatives from international organiza- against Roma and Sinti communities. tions, academia and OSCE field operations. The workshop took stock of international and regional efforts, as well as na- Responding to anti-Muslim hate crimes and tional strategies for dealing with terrorist offenders and their addressing the security needs of Muslim respective implications on human rights. Moreover, it looked communities in South-Eastern Europe; Skopje, into international and national detention monitoring man- North Macedonia (6 June 2023) dates, and practices, experiences and practical challenges faced by detention monitors in assessing the human rights ODIHR translated its publication Understanding Anti-Mus- implications of measures to prevent and combat VERLT in lim Hate Crimes – Addressing the Security Needs of Muslim prisons. The participants confirmed the importance of inde- Communities: A Practical Guide into Albanian, Macedonian pendent monitoring of detention conditions in this context. and Montenegrin and organized a launch event in Skopje, North Macedonia. As part of the event, ODIHR conducted Training-of-trainers workshop for Moldovan law a workshop for members of Muslim communities and rep- enforcement on complying with human rights resentatives of law enforcement authorities from the region. standards; Chișinău, Moldova (18–22 September 2023) The participants also developed action points to enhance co-operation between Muslim communities and law enforce- With the support of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, ODIHR ment. organized a ToT workshop on human rights-compliant po-

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licing of assemblies for Moldovan law enforcement officials. istan organized a training activity entitled “Preventing and During the workshop, participants learned about effec- Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in tive presentation techniques and facilitation skills to deliver Places of Deprivation of Liberty” for mid- to senior-level man- ODIHR’s training modules. agement officers from penitentiary facilities, including the only women’s prison in the country. Participants discussed key Training activity for officers “Preventing and concepts and principles in addressing SGBV, good practices Addressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence on relevant legal and policy frameworks, including effective (SGBV) in Places of Deprivation of Liberty”; risk reduction, and current complaint mechanisms. Uzbekistan (20–21 September 2023) 6th seminar on hate crimes for security forces in ODIHR, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator Spain; Madrid, Spain (6 November 2023) in Uzbekistan, the National Human Rights Center and the Department of Penal Correction under the Uzbek Ministry of ODIHR contributed to a seminar on hate crimes for security Interior, organized and conducted a training activity entitled forces organized by the Spanish National Office for the Fight “Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Vio- Against Hate Crimes (ONDOD), with a presentation entitled lence (SGBV) in Places of Deprivation of Liberty” for mid- to “Recognition and protection of victims of hate crimes”. The senior-level management officers of women’s penal colonies presentation outlined key ODIHR guidelines and publications and detention centres. Participants discussed key concepts on effective hate crime victim support, and discussed issues and principles in addressing SGBV, good practices on rele- such as sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime vic- vant legal and policy frameworks, including effective risk re- tims by law enforcement. duction, and current complaint mechanisms. 35th OSCE Border Management Staff College annual Responding to anti-Muslim hate crimes and course; Dushanbe, Tajikistan (7–8 November 2023) addressing the security needs of Muslim communities; Ottawa, Canada (22 September 2023) ODIHR delivered a training course on human rights and coun- ter-terrorism as well as on human rights and gender in border ODIHR presented its publication Understanding Anti-Mus- security and management. Participants from nine countries lim Hate Crimes – Addressing the Security Needs of Muslim working in various capacities in the field of border management Communities: A Practical Guide to representatives of Muslim and security represented Ministries of Interior and Finance, communities, policy-makers and law enforcement officers Prime Minister offices, intelligence services and the military. in Canada. Participants discussed the nature and extent of ODIHR presented on human rights in border management and anti-Muslim intolerance and hatred in their communities, out- in anti-terrorism. ODIHR also presented its work on gender in lining the impact on the safety and security of individuals and border security and management, gender equality in security communities. sector agencies, and sexual- and gender-based violence in the security sector, including during situations of armed conflict. CEPOL webinar on hate crimes and sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime victims; online Training course for detention monitors from (27 September 2023) Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan “Detention monitoring and the protection of human rights while preventing ODIHR delivered a presentation on how to engage with hate and countering violent extremism and radicalization crime victims during a training course on victim protection to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons”; Bishkek, organized by CEPOL and the Hellenic Police Academy. Kyrgyzstan (14–15 November 2023) ODIHR’s presentation covered the impact of hate crime on victims, their specific needs and differences from victims of ODIHR delivered an in-depth training course for detention other types of crimes, secondary victimization, and sensitive monitors from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on detention and respectful interaction with victims. monitoring and the protection of human rights while prevent- ing and countering VERLT in prisons. The course brought Training activity for officers “Preventing and together participants from national human rights institutions Addressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence (NHRIs), national preventive mechanisms (NPMs) under the (SGBV) in Places of Deprivation of Liberty”; Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture, and Dushanbe, Tajikistan (24–25 October 2023) civil society detention monitors from Kazakhstan and Kyr- gyzstan. The course provided detention monitors with an ODIHR, in close collaboration with the Main Prison Depart- enhanced understanding of the key human rights issues in ment under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Tajik- the context of preventing and countering VERLT in prisons,

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and taught them to assess prison-based security strategies TAHCLE (Training Against Hate Crimes for Law for their human rights compliance. Enforcement) Training-of-trainers (ToT) for the Polish Police; Legionowo, Poland Training seminar on addressing racially motivated (12–14 December 2023) crimes against Roma, Sinti and Travellers and promoting effective and non–discriminatory policing; Under the TAHCLE (Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Strasbourg, France (27–30 November 2023) Enforcement) programme in Poland, ODIHR conducted a TAHCLE ToT in Legionowo. The training course followed the ODIHR and the Council of Europe (CoE) organized a training- standard TAHCLE curriculum adapted to meet local needs. of-trainers seminar on addressing racially motivated crimes This iteration of the course included new modules on sensi- against Roma, Sinti and Travellers and promoting effective tive and respectful treatment of hate crime victims and un- and non-discriminatory policing. The training seminar was conscious bias, updating the previous curriculum produced aimed at human rights professionals and police officers for Poland in 2012. working in Roma and Sinti communities and mixed commu- nities. Participants learned how to develop and implement Addressing the security needs of Jewish effective policing strategies that are responsive to the needs communities in Italy; Rome, Italy of Roma and Sinti and comply with human rights standards. (10 December 2023)

Roundtable on the role of women in ensuring peace The event brought together representatives from Jewish and security; Kosshy, Kazakhstan communities, law enforcement officials, CSOs and interna- (28–29 November 2023) tional experts. The event raised awareness of the nature and the scope of anti-Semitism, with a particular focus on anti-Se- The OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in collaboration with mitic hate crimes and the necessity to address the security ODIHR and Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecu- needs of Jewish communities in Italy. It enabled the partic- tor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, organ- ipants to gain a better understanding of the history of Jew- ized a roundtable on the role of women in ensuring peace ish life in Italy and increased their knowledge of the relevant and security. The roundtable established a platform for the international and regional standards pertaining to identifying, exchange of good practices aimed at reinforcing the rep- recording and prosecuting anti-Semitic hate crimes. Practi- resentation of women in Kazakhstan’s law enforcement, and tioners shared good practices in relation to co-operation be- to identify the essential success criteria for women police as- tween law enforcement and Jewish communities in the area sociations to have a significant and enduring impact on the of security, and assessed the efficacy of existing measures to role of women in law enforcement. identify, record and prosecute anti-Semitic hate crimes.

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Legislative assistance in the field of criminal and freedom of peaceful assembly, also covering aspects related criminal procedure reform and prevention of to the policing of assemblies.9 corruption; throughout the OSCE area (throughout 2023)

ODIHR continued to provide expert advice on proposed re- 9 See ODIHR Opinion on the Criminal Code Provisions of Lithuania on Bias-motivat- ed Crimes and Related Criminal Offences (25 July 2023); ODIHR Opinion on Draft forms of criminal legislation, criminal procedure codes and Amendments relating to Criminal Corporate Liability in Uzbekistan (15 September other legislation potentially affecting the work of the police, 2023); ODIHR Note on the Proposed Revision of the Pan-European Definition of Terrorist Offences (29 September 2023); Urgent ODIHR Interim Opinion on the with a view to supporting human rights-compliant responses Draft Law of Ukraine on “Amendments to the Law of Ukraine on Prevention and Counteraction to Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds of Crime, Terrorist Financ- to threats posed by criminal activity. ODIHR published sev- ing and Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction” in relation to eral legal reviews providing concrete recommendations for “Politically Exposed Persons” (16 October 2023); Urgent ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Laws on Making Amendments to the Law of Georgia on Assemblies and the improvement of draft or existing legislation in relation to Demonstrations and to the Administrative Offences Code of Georgia (6 November bias-motivated crimes, counter-terrorism and VERLT, corpo- 2023); Urgent ODIHR Opinion on the Law on Assemblies of the Republic of Moldo- va (7 November 2023); ODIHR Comments on the Criminalization of “Separatism” rate criminal liability, corruption prevention, and the right to and Related Offences in Moldova (4 December 2023).

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3.2 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM)

Introduction

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) works to identify and seek early resolution of ethnic tensions that might endanger peace, stability or friendly relations between OSCE participating States or within the OSCE area. The High Commissioner is a conflict-prevention instrument with a cross-dimensional approach. He frequently reminds states of their minority rights obligations, because failure to respect them is a significant source of ethnic tensions that can lead to conflict.

General police development and reform

Inclusive governance and shared identity for capacity building and sustainability. A working group within the sustainable peace and development; Kyrgyzstan Academy comprised of educators, law enforcement officers (May, June, September, November 2023) and a local specialist on minority issues was tasked with revis- ing and enriching the curriculum. They introduced new subjects The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan has been working focused on sensitizing officers to minority issues and handling towards implementing a national strategy to strengthen civic identity conflicts effectively. The HCNM supported four training identity and social cohesion among the country’s diverse pop- sessions, which emphasized local expertise and real-world ap- ulation. Part of this effort is an initiative to better address conflict plicability. The resulting training programme equips new officers management in a multi-ethnic society. Central to this initiative with practical skills for policing in a diverse society, showcasing has been the decision to empower the Police Academy’s staff the benefits of local empowerment in the development of train- to lead the update of their training curriculum, fostering local ing offers for law enforcement agencies.

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3.3 Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM)

Introduction

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), which was established in 1997, is the world’s only intergovernmental media freedom watchdog. Based in Vienna, Austria, the RFoM observes relevant media developments in all participating States, and advocates and promotes full compliance with OSCE principles and commitments regarding freedom of expression and free media. The RFoM also addresses serious problems caused by, inter alia, obstruction of media activities and unfavourable working conditions for journalists.

▶ Putting a spotlight on AI and freedom of expression (SAIFE); across the OSCE area (throughout 2023)

The RFoM published the SAIFE Policy Manual10 in 2022, the culmination of two years of research and workshops with over 120 experts from diverse backgrounds, including media, technology and security. It provides human rights-centred recommendations to States on safeguarding free speech and media pluralism in the context of automated content governance on online platforms. The SAIFE Resource Hub,11 launched in November 2023, compiles several resources to help address the specific harms caused by AI technologies on the information landscape. It also provides resources for law enforcement. In addition to analysing free speech challenges, such as an imprudent overuse of AI in law enforcement, the guidance recommends that any monitoring, online tracking, data access or takedown requests by law enforcement should be conducted through formalized, transparent co-operation with online platforms and Big Tech, adhering to international human rights law, including the three-part test for restricting freedom of expression.

Throughout 2023, the RFoM focused on the implementation of its SAIFE policy guidance, including as part of multi-stakeholder masterclasses with a regional focus on the Western Balkans (Skopje, North Macedonia, May 2023) and Central Asia (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 2023).

In 2023, the RFoM also put a focus on conflict and other crisis situations, including armed conflict. In several discussion rounds and workshops, the RFoM discussed various related issues, including the role of law enforcement in addressing illegal and harmful content online. The outcomes of these roundtables fed into the report Platform and Content Governance in Times of Crisis.12

10 OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (2021), Spotlight on Artificial Intelligence and Freedom of Expression – A Policy Manual, accessible at https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/8/f/510332_1.pdf 11 SAIFE Resource Hub: https://www.osce.org/saife/index.html 12 OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (2023), Platform and Content Governance in Times of Crisis, accessible at https://www.osce.org/files/f/ documents/2/4/564961_0.pdf

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OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (2021), Spotlight on Artificial Intelligence and Freedom of Expression – A Policy Manual. OSCE

Sixth Roundtable: Police Prevention and the Fight The aim of the Sixth Roundtable of the Safety of Journalists against Impunity in the framework of the RFoM project, entitled “Police Handling of the Media and the Fight project “Safety of Journalists”; Vienna, Austria against Impunity”, was to address these challenges. Given (15 June 2023) the scale and severity of threats and attacks against journal- ists across the OSCE area and their damaging effects on the Law enforcement plays a crucial role in ensuring journalists’ functioning of democratic society, far-reaching measures are safety, especially during public events like assemblies and necessary at the international and national level to strengthen demonstrations. Officers must protect the media, enabling the protection of journalists and other media actors and to them to report safely. However, the Office of the RFoM has eradicate impunity. The Roundtable focused on the essen- observed a rise in verbal and physical attacks on journalists tial role of law enforcement and the judiciary in ensuring a committed by demonstrators and bystanders in several par- safe and enabling environment for the media to do its work. ticipating States. Law enforcement authorities are responsi- This includes the prevention, protection and prosecution ble for the swift and effective investigation of attacks against of attacks against journalists (including a specific focus on journalists and bringing perpetrators to justice. However, in impunity). The participating experts exchanged views on some instances, law enforcement officers obstruct the media measures for investigating and prosecuting cases of violence from carrying out their work. In recent years, there have been against journalists more effectively. They also discussed the a notable number of incidents of journalists being treated importance of raising awareness among law enforcement harshly by law enforcement officers while covering public as- about the role of the media. This helped to develop a broad- semblies. Additionally, impunity for those attacking journalists er understanding among the OSCE participating States on has highlighted the shortcomings of some judicial systems in how best to develop national measures and mechanisms to addressing these issues. prevent violence against journalists and promote their safety.

108 4 Executive Other Relevant Summary Programmatic Activities ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

4.1 Support Programme for Ukraine

Introduction

The OSCE Secretariat extra-budgetary (ExB) support programme for Ukraine (SPU) was launched on 1 November 2022.

▶ Development of a training course and organization of training sessions on the fundamentals of cybercrime investigations; (29–31 May, 4–6 July, 18–20 July, 1–3 August, 5–7 September, 19–21 September, 3–5 October, 30 October– 2 November, 28–30 November, 19–21 December 2023)

The significant cyberattack on Ukraine’s largest mobile telephone operator Kyivstar in December 2023 underlined the increasing need and significance for Ukraine to safeguard its cyberspace. The OSCE SPU joined efforts with Ukraine’s Cyber Police Department and developed a training course on fundamentals of cybercrime investigations. The training programme covered criminal analysis, intelligence-led policing, principles of open-source intelligence, the investigation of cryptocurrency-related crimes, and cyber-enabled THB. Police officers from all regions of Ukraine participated in the training sessions. The Head of Cyber Police Department, Police General Yurii Vykhodets, echoed the importance of the initiative: “With the evolving nature of cyber threats, the need to investigate cybercrimes, especially those related to IT-facilitated human trafficking, has become more acute. We are really grateful to our partners for this initiative.”

Training session on the fundamentals of cybercrime investigations. OSCE

110 Other Relevant Programmatic Activities

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Simulation exercises to combat trafficking in human of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Office of beings; (12–14 September, 19–21 September, the Prosecutor General. Analysts and investigators improved 3–5 October, 10–12 October 2023) their knowledge of OSINT instruments and techniques. They took part in practical exercises and mock investigations, In September and October 2023, the SPU conducted four during which they gathered evidence via social networks, simulation exercises in the area of combating THB. Four public registers, and various search engines and operation country-tailored simulation exercises gathered participants systems. from social service providers, NGOs, the police, prosecutor offices and labor inspectorates. The SPU also invited observ- Study visits to the Financial Intelligence Units of ers, serving as so-called “antennas”, who were responsible Sweden and Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden, for monitoring the work of corresponding agencies. These and Copenhagen, Denmark exercises enable participants to practice the identification of (27 November–1 December 2023) trafficking victims, provide necessary assistance with a focus on protecting victims’ rights and preventing their re-trauma- The OSCE SPU organized a study visit for Ukrainian officials tization. Simulation-based training sessions helped to im- and experts to the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of Swe- prove the distribution of responsibilities and competencies den and Denmark. During the visit, the representatives from of the involved agencies and promote mutual information the State Financial Monitoring Service of Ukraine (SFMS), the exchange, while safeguarding the privacy of those who have Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, and the Security Service of suffered from the crime. Ukraine had an opportunity to share knowledge with their foreign counterparts on risk assessments, operational and Summer school on combating trafficking in human strategic analysis, investigations into virtual assets and reg- beings; (6–8 June 2023) ulation in the AML/CFT area. Additionally, the SFMS and the FIU of Sweden signed a Memorandum of Understanding The OSCE SPU developed and delivered the first summer strengthening their co-operation in the AML/CFT sphere. school for cadets from Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs universities on key instruments of multi-agency co-operation International Forum on Financial Monitoring 2023; in combating THB. The participants were acquainted with (7–8 December 2023) key instruments of multi-agency co-operation and gained knowledge and skills for investigating THB cases taking into The OSCE SPU organized the International Forum on Finan- account a victim-centred approach. The participants com- cial Monitoring 2023 jointly with the State Financial Monitor- mitted to carrying out local awareness-raising campaigns in ing Service of Ukraine, the Council of Europe and the EUACI. their cities on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The panel discussions were dedicated to the most pressing challenges associated with financial monitoring. Internation- International conference “Supranational and al experts representing the MONEYVAL, the Council of Eu- national AML/CFT/CPF systems: Challenges and rope, the EUACI, the EU AML/CFT Global Facility, RUSI and prospects”; (27–28 April 2023) OECD, as well as members of the national AML/CFT com- munity shared their views on methodologies for identifying The conference gathered the public and private sectors, as ultimate beneficial ownership, regulating virtual assets, and well as civil society representatives. Representatives from conducting financial investigations. the MONEYVAL Presidency, a number of international think tanks, UNODC and the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) engaged in discussions on challenges for the financial moni- toring system exacerbated by the war against Ukraine.

Training course on the use of open-source intelligence (OSINT); (24–27 October 2023)

The OSCE SPU, together with the Council of Europe and the EUACI, organized a training course on the use of OSINT for representatives from the State Financial Monitoring Service

111 Appendices 5 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

APPENDIX I MC and PC Decisions, Declarations and Action Plans with a Focus on Police-Related Activities

Mandates on police-related issues are contained in OSCE ing where appropriate the exchange of information among and Summit Decisions, as well as in the growing list of Decisions between participating States regarding lessons learned and of the Ministerial Council and the Permanent Council, includ- best policing practices in countering new security challenges. ing a number of OSCE Action Plans. The Bucharest Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism (2001), The latest comprehensive set of OSCE mandates on police- adopted on the same occasion as the above Decision on related activities was adopted in 2012 with the Dublin MC police-related activities, recognized the need to assist partic- Decision No. 4/12 on the OSCE’s Efforts to Address Transna- ipating States, on their request, through measures to combat tional Threats, which endorsed four PC decisions from 2012, trafficking in human beings, drugs, and small arms and light including the OSCE Strategic Framework for Police-Related weapons, in accordance with relevant Permanent Council Activities (PC.DEC/1049) and the OSCE Concept for Com- decisions. This assistance could also include provision of ad- bating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion of Chem- vice and assistance on restructuring and/or reconstruction ical Precursors (PC.DEC/1048). With the adoption of these of police services; monitoring and training of existing police decisions, the participating States reaffirmed the key role that services, including human rights training; and capacity-build- police-related activities play in the Organization’s efforts to ing, including support for integrated or multi-ethnic police address threats to security and stability posed by criminal services. To this end, the plan of action acknowledged the activity, as well as its efforts in the areas of conflict preven- requirement for reinforcing existing police-related activities tion, crisis management and post conflict rehabilitation in the in conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict OSCE area. rehabilitation.

The Charter for European Security adopted by the Istan- In its Decision No. 448 (2001), the Permanent Council decided bul Summit Meeting (1999) represents the platform for the to establish the seconded post of Senior Police Adviser in the OSCE involvement in policing. It contains the commitment of OSCE Secretariat. the OSCE participating States to enhance the OSCE’s role in civilian police-related activities as an integral part of the Or- In the Declaration on Trafficking in Human Beings adopted ganization’s efforts in conflict prevention, crisis management by the Tenth Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Porto 2002), its and post-conflict rehabilitation. Such activities may comprise members called on participating States to enhance internation- the following: (1) police monitoring, including preventing police al co-operation in combating criminal acts such as trafficking in from discriminating based on religious or ethnic identity; (2) po- drugs and arms, as well as smuggling of migrants. They em- lice training, aimed at, inter alia, improving the operational and phasized the need to include in this co-operation international tactical capabilities of local police services, reforming paramil- law enforcement bodies such as Europol and INTERPOL, as itary forces, providing new and modern policing skills such as well as the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), community policing and anti-drug, anti-corruption and anti-ter- with a view to investigating and prosecuting those responsible rorist capacities, creating police services with a multi-ethnic for trafficking in human beings in accordance with domestic law and/or multireligious composition to enable them to enjoy the and, where applicable, international obligations. In this regard, confidence of the entire population; and (3) promoting general they also asked the Senior Police Adviser to devote increased respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. attention to the fight against trafficking in human beings.

The Ninth Ministerial Council in Bucharest (2001) declared This tasking was further detailed in the OSCE Action Plan to the OSCE’s decision to increase and promote co-operation Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, which requested TNTD/ among participating States in countering new security chal- SPMU to further promote the concept of community policing lenges, including by providing advice or arranging for the pro- and facilitate the exchange of information between participat- vision of expert advice on requirements for effective policing ing States on good practices to be used by relevant investigat- (needs assessments) and how to meet them, and encourag- ing units to check the possibly criminal and trafficking-related

114 Appendices

origin of suspicious assets. TNTD/SPMU was also tasked to the OSCE Permanent Council to work on designing, with the continue developing training materials for law enforcement on support of the Secretary General and the relevant OSCE insti- the investigation of trafficking and sex crimes, to identify law tutions, possible measures and forms of assistance that could enforcement trainers to conduct training, and to facilitate the be made available to requesting participating States with a funding of training sessions for law enforcement authorities in view to improving and promoting the functioning of criminal OSCE participating States. justice systems.

One aspect of policing of ethnic minorities was addressed by The Ljubljana Ministerial Decision No. 15/05 on Preventing the OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and and Combating Violence against Women urged participating Sinti within the OSCE Area (2003). TNTD/SPMU was tasked States, with the support and assistance of the OSCE, to take to assist participating States in developing programmes and all necessary legislative, policy and programmatic monitoring confidence-building measures, such as community policing, to and evaluation measures to promote and protect women’s improve the relations between the police and Roma and Sinti full enjoyment of human rights, and to prevent and combat people, particularly at the local level, and to produce a compila- all forms of gender-based violence against them. The deci- tion of police good practices in the OSCE area with respect to sion also tasked the Permanent Council to encourage relevant policing and Roma and Sinti communities. Another established OSCE institutions and structures to develop programmes, pro- task was to assist the participating States in developing codes jects and policies to assist participating States, at their request, of conduct to prevent racial profiling and improve inter-ethnic in combating violence against women and girls, and in provid- relations. ing assistance to victims.

The OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stabil- The Ljubljana Ministerial Council also adopted the OSCE ity in the Twenty-First Century, adopted by the 11th Ministerial Border Security and Management Concept. Above all, this Council in Maastricht in 2003, states that TNTD/SPMU was provides participating States with a political framework for set up to improve the capacity of participating States to ad- co-operation on border-related issues. It provides objectives dress threats posed by criminal activity and to assist them in and principles for this co-operation, and defines modalities for upholding the rule of law. The aim was to enhance key polic- OSCE activities in this area. The OSCE “acts upon the request ing skills, including respect for human rights and fundamental of participating States” to ensure dialogue on border-related freedoms. issues through, inter alia, “exchange of information, experience and best practices”, the establishment of National Focal Points The 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Networks, and the holding of workshops and conferences. Equality, adopted by the 12th Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Sofia 2004), urged the OSCE’s participating States, Secretari- Permanent Council Decision No. 758 Enhancing Internation- at, institutions and field operations to ensure that a gender per- al Anti-Drug Co-operation (2006) tasked the Secretary Gen- spective is integrated into OSCE activities, programmes and eral and relevant OSCE institutions with providing participat- projects. The aim shall be to promote the practice of gender ing States, upon their request and in close consultation and equality in the OSCE area, which is essential for comprehen- co-ordination with UNODC, with assistance/advice on antid- sive security. In this context, TNTD/SPMU was specifically rug issues through, inter alia, awareness-raising activities, or- tasked to enhance its project development to assist participat- ganization of regional workshops, and facilitation of training. ing States to react to offences of sexual violence. This involves including elements in police training curriculum such as special The Decision on Combating Sexual Exploitation of Children investigation techniques, interview skills designed for use with adopted by the 14th Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Brussels victims of sexual assault, including children, and information on 2006) encouraged relevant OSCE executive structures, with- referral mechanisms for victim assistance. in their existing mandates, to devote attention to the area of sexual exploitation of children, including its links to trafficking The fight against organized crime came to the forefront of in persons. It emphasized the need for the OSCE structures OSCE priorities during 2005 and was recognized in the De- and participating States to co-operate with other international cision on Combating Transnational Organized Crime adopted organizations, NGOs, and civil society in combating the sexual by the 13th Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Ljubljana 2005). exploitation of children. It tasked the OSCE Secretary General with providing support, upon request from participating States, to mobilize technical The 14th Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Brussels 2006) assistance, including the necessary expertise and resources adopted the follow-up Decision on Organized Crime, reaffirm- from relevant competent international organizations, for imple- ing the importance that the OSCE was giving to this subject. menting the United Nations Convention Against Transnational The Decision tasks the OSCE Secretary General and the rele- Organized Crime and its Protocols. The Decision also tasked vant OSCE executive structures, within their respective man-

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dates, with giving enhanced attention to the key role of criminal beings for law enforcement personnel and urged the par- justice systems in institution-building and in the promotion of ticipating States, inter alia, to ensure co-operation between the rule of law, as well as co-operating and co-ordinating more law enforcement agencies and other relevant actors at the closely in order to take the interaction between the compo- national and international level, and “to intensify measures to nents of those systems better into account. A further major disrupt trafficking networks, including by means of financial task was to build on and consolidate knowledge and experi- investigations, investigations of money laundering connected ence on criminal justice and organized crime, and to continue to human trafficking and the freezing and confiscation of the co-operating with UNODC in various matters, including com- assets of human traffickers”. bating organized crime and illicit drugs. Reaffirming the participating States’ commitment to proactively Recalling the Ministerial Council Decisions Nos. 3/05 (Ljubljana) implement the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender on combating transnational organized crime, and 5/06 (Brus- Equality, and recalling Ljubljana Ministerial Council Decisions sels) on organized crime, Permanent Council Decision No. 810 on Women in Conflict Prevention, Crisis Management and (2007) on Implementation of the United Nations Convention Post-Conflict Rehabilitation, and on Preventing and Combat- Against Transnational Organized Crime tasked the Secretary ing Violence against Women, the 17th Ministerial Council of the General to support the implementation of the UNTOC conven- OSCE (Athens 2009), in its Decision on Women’s Participation tion in co-operation with UNODC, and to organize workshops in Political and Public Life, called on the participating States to in co-operation and co-ordination with the Secretariat of the consider providing for specific measure to achieve the goal of Conference of the Parties to the UNTOC. gender balance in all legislative, judicial and executive bodies, including police services. Permanent Council Decision No. 813 (2007) on Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and Precursors emphasized the contin- Acknowledging the “[…] diverse and multifaceted OSCE uing spread of illicit trafficking of opiates from Afghanistan and work, experience and lessons learned in the policing field, in chemical precursors throughout the OSCE area. The Perma- particular the work of TNTD/SPMU and the field operations nent Council called on the Secretary General to further devel- within their respective mandates”, the Permanent Council, in op co-operation in the field of anti-drug matters with UNODC, its Decision 914/09 adopted in Athens, expressed its convic- the Paris Pact and other relevant international structures and tion that the time had come to take stock of what had been organizations by, inter alia, organizing joint regional and sub- done so far in policing and to “[…] initiate a thorough dialogue regional workshops and other activities. Furthermore, the Sec- on how to further enhance police-related activities within the retary General was tasked with continuing training activities on OSCE.” The Permanent Council tasked the Secretary Gen- drug-related matters. eral, “[…] within existing resources and in consultation with relevant OSCE executive structures, to prepare a report on The need for continuing training of Afghan police officers in police-related activities of the OSCE executive structures up addition to providing assistance to Afghanistan in the fields of to the end of 2009”. The report was to be based partly on the border security and combating drug trafficking was also a core annual reports on police-related activities, reflecting existing topic of the Ministerial Decision No. 4/07 on OSCE Engage- mandates and OSCE commitments, and was “[…] to include ment with Afghanistan (Madrid). Participating States tasked an assessment of those activities and a forward-looking per- the Secretary General to provide support for intensifying the spective, offering long-term strategic recommendations”. involvement of Afghan counterparts in OSCE activities related Moreover, the Permanent Council decided that this report to the fields of border security and management, policing, and would be further discussed during the next Annual Police the fight against drug trafficking. For this, training facilities in Experts Meeting in May 2010, as well as at the 2010 Annual Central Asia as well as in the rest of the OSCE area were to be Security Review Conference. used. While tasked to avoid unnecessary duplication of exist- ing efforts of other international actors, the Secretary General The Athens Ministerial Council Decision No. 2/09 on Further was also mandated to explore all possible co-operation op- OSCE Efforts to Address Transnational Threats and Challeng- tions, in co-ordination with the UN and other relevant regional es to Security and Stability took note of, inter alia, the OSCE’s and international organizations and other actors. contribution to international efforts to fight organized crime through the provision of relevant law enforcement expertise At the Helsinki Ministerial Council in December 2008, the and assistance to participating States, and called for exploring participating States turned their attention once again to the further ways to strengthen synergies in OSCE activities against issue of trafficking in human beings. Decision No. 5/08 on transnational threats, for addressing them in a comprehensive Enhancing Criminal Justice Responses to Trafficking in Hu- and cross-dimensional manner, and for focusing on areas man Beings Through a Comprehensive Approach empha- where the OSCE has a comparative advantage and can com- sized the need for training on combating trafficking in human plement the work of other international organizations.

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“Recalling that the OSCE, as a regional arrangement under Stemming from the Use of Information and Communication Chapter VIII of the Charter of the UN and as a primary organiza- Technologies, the Permanent Council decided “to step up in- tion for the peaceful settlement of disputes within its region, is dividual and collective efforts to address security in the use of a key instrument for early warning, conflict prevention and res- information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a com- olution, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation”, the prehensive and cross-dimensional manner in accordance with participating States, in the 2011 Vilnius Ministerial Council Deci- OSCE commitments and in co-operation with relevant inter- sion No. 3/11 on Elements of the Conflict Cycle, Related to En- national organizations. The PC further tasks the OSCE Chair- hancing the OSCE’s Capabilities in Early Warning, Early Action, manship to establish an open-ended, informal OSCE working Dialogue Facilitation and Mediation Support, and Post-Conflict group under the auspices of the Security Committee to elab- Rehabilitation, reiterated “[…] that the OSCE’s ability to deploy orate a set of draft CBMs to enhance interstate co-operation, civilian, police or unarmed military expertise rapidly is essen- transparency, predictability, and stability, and to reduce the tial to effective conflict prevention, crisis management and risks of misperception, escalation, and conflict that may stem post-conflict rehabilitation”. It also expressed the expectation from the use of ICT; and to help build consensus for the adop- for “[…] the OSCE Chairmanship and the executive structures tion of such a set of CBMs in 2012.” to take full advantage of their respective mandates to address all phases of the conflict cycle”, and urged “the Chairmanship The OSCE Concept for Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and participating States to use, swiftly and to the greatest ex- and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors (PC Decision No. tent possible, all available tools and procedures as applicable 1048) identifies areas and activities requiring sustained efforts to a particular crisis or conflict situation […].” for short-, medium- and long-term engagement in combating the threat of illicit drugs and the diversion of chemical precur- “Reiterating the determination expressed by Heads of State sors. It establishes a political framework for comprehensive or Government of the OSCE participating States in the 2010 action by the OSCE participating States and the OSCE exec- Astana Commemorative Declaration: Towards a Security utive structures to combat this threat. The Concept stresses Community to achieve greater unity of purpose and action in the participating States’ commitments to support the imple- facing emerging transnational threats, such as terrorism, or- mentation of the respective international obligations in this ganized crime, illegal migration, proliferation of weapons of area, with a particular focus on the related UN Conventions mass destruction, cyber threats and the illicit trafficking in small and decisions. It also sets principles and major objectives of arms and light weapons, drugs and human beings”, the Vilni- co-operation, and provides a platform for OSCE’s co-opera- us Ministerial Council, in Decision No. 9/11 on Strengthening tion with international organizations and partners in recognition Co-ordination and Coherence in the OSCE’s Efforts to Address of the important role played by civil society, including the media Transnational Threats, welcomed “the proposals by the Secre- and NGOs, in addressing drug-related crimes, as well as pre- tary General included in the 2012 Unified Budget Proposal for ventive measures aimed at reducing drug abuse and depend- the creation of a department to address transnational threats, ence, and drug-related harm to health and society, especially consistent with the OSCE’s mandates and within available re- to children and young people. According to the Concept, the sources, with a view to ensuring better co-ordination, strength- participating States’ co-operation will include, inter alia, the ened coherence and more efficient use of the OSCE’s resourc- exchange of good practices and scientific evidence-based in- es in addressing transnational threats […].” formation on combating the threat of illicit drugs. It will also in- clude the facilitation and promotion of cross-border interaction To further strengthen the OSCE’s efforts to address transna- between relevant criminal justice agencies and other compe- tional threats, the Dublin Ministerial Council adopted Decision tent national structures of the participating States in the pre- No. 4/12 in December 2012. This so-called “chapeau” decision vention, identification, suppression, detection and investigation endorses four decisions that had been adopted in 2012 by the of drug-related crimes, and the apprehension and extradition Permanent Council on the development of confidence-building of criminals in accordance with existing legal frameworks. measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies (PC Deci- The OSCE Strategic Framework for Police-Related Activities sion No. 1039), the OSCE Concept for Combating the Threat defines the Organization’s priorities in this area, within a wider of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors (PC OSCE approach to security, such as police development and Decision No. 1048), the OSCE Strategic Framework for Po- reform, and the fight against organized transnational crime, in- lice-Related Activities (PC Decision No. 1049) and finally, the cluding trafficking in illicit drugs and precursors, trafficking in OSCE Consolidated Framework for the Fight against Terrorism human beings, sexual exploitation of children on the internet, (PC Decision No. 1063). and cybercrime. Through needs assessment, capacity-build- ing, institution building, training and evaluation, the OSCE will In the PC Decision No. 1039 on the Development of Confi- assist the law enforcement agencies of participating States to dence-Building Measures to Reduce the Risks of Conflict address the threats posed by criminal activity. All of these ac-

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tivities will be done in line with the promotion of the principles alogue, exchange of good practices, awareness-raising and of democratic policing, such as the importance of the rule of information on capacity-building regarding security of and in law; due respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the use of ICTs, including effective responses to related threats. including gender and minority issues; police–public partner- ships; effective and accountable criminal justice systems; and The 2014 Basel Ministerial Council adopted several decisions enhanced criminal justice co-operation among participating and declarations related to policing activities. States and international and regional organizations. The de- cision highlights the importance of co-operation with govern- The Basel Ministerial Decision No. 5/14 on the Prevention of mental authorities as well as civil society in a long-term ap- Corruption underlines, inter alia, “the central role played by law proach that fosters local commitment to and ownership and enforcement bodies and judicial institutions in preventing and sustainability of police-related programme achievements. combating corruption” and encourages the relevant OSCE ex- ecutive structures to facilitate the exchange of good practic- The OSCE Consolidated Framework for the Fight against Ter- es in the prevention of corruption among participating States rorism (PC Decision No. 1063) further strengthens the profile upon their request. of the Organization in the struggle against terrorism. The Deci- sion builds on relevant decisions of the Ministerial Council and The Basel Ministerial Decision No. 7/14 on Preventing and highlights the OSCE’s anti-terrorism profile, listing the compar- Combating Violence against Women reaffirms earlier com- ative advantages of the Organization. The Decision provides mitments to prevent and combat violence against women, guidance for the Organization, outlining strategic focus areas including domestic violence. It calls on participating States to for counter-terrorism activities. Therewith the Decision is a improve their legal frameworks for preventing and combating roadmap for any further OSCE action to be taken in the area of such violence, and to collect and make public data and statis- countering terrorism. tics regarding all forms of violence against women. It encour- ages participating States to enhance awareness-raising and In the 2012 Dublin Ministerial Declaration on Strengthening other prevention programmes, to ensure the protection of vic- Good Governance and Combating Corruption, Money Laun- tims of all forms of violence against women, and to “strengthen dering and the Financing of Terrorism, the participating States the efforts to investigate, prosecute and punish the perpetra- encourage the OCEEA and TNTD “within their respective man- tors of all forms of violence against women and provide victims dates to assist the participating States, at their request, in their with protection and appropriate remedies.” The decision tasks efforts to counter money laundering and the financing of terror- the OSCE executive structures to assist participating States, at ism, including through the development, adoption and imple- their request, to facilitate the exchange of information, improve mentation of legislation and practices to improve interagency co-ordination and provide technical assistance and training to and external co-ordination mechanisms in this area.” help participating States fulfil these goals.

In 2013, the participating States, with PC Dec. No. 1106 adopt- The Basel Ministerial Council Declaration No. 5/14 on the ed the Addendum to the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Traffick- OSCE Role in Countering the Phenomenon of Foreign Ter- ing in Human Beings: One Decade Later. This Decision amends rorist Fighters in the Context of the Implementation of UN the 2003 Action Plan. It provides participating States with an Security Council Resolutions 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014) updated toolkit to combat all forms of THB, and helps to ad- calls upon the OSCE executive structures, inter alia, “to of- dress current and emerging THB trends and patterns, as well fer assistance in capacity-building activities to the requesting as the most pressing challenges related to the prosecution of participating States, in accordance with Permanent Coun- the crime, its prevention and protection of trafficked persons. cil Decision No. 1063, and to organize, where appropriate, regional and sub-regional events to identify potential weak- In 2013, the participating States adopted the Initial Set of OSCE nesses in international legal and operational co-operation Confidence-Building Measures to Reduce the Risks of Conflict mechanisms in order to foster better co-operation and Stemming from the Use of Information and Communication co-ordination nationally and internationally”; “to continue to Technologies (PC Decision No. 1106) in order to enhance in- promote OSCE efforts to counter violent extremism and rad- terstate co-operation, transparency, predictability and stabili- icalization that lead to terrorism, including through commu- ty, and to reduce the risks of misperception, escalation and nity policing approaches to preventing terrorism, in particular conflict that may stem from the use of information and com- at the local level”; and “to support requesting participating munication technologies. According to the decision, the par- States in the implementation of their commitments regard- ticipating States will voluntarily facilitate co-operation among ing travel document security and border management and competent national bodies; share information on measures to facilitate technical assistance in this field by INTERPOL that they have taken to ensure an open, interoperable, secure and other relevant international organizations to requesting and reliable internet; and use the OSCE as a platform for di- participating States.”

118 Appendices

The Basel Ministerial Council Declaration No. 6/14 on the grants and Refugees encourages participating States to use OSCE Role in Countering Kidnapping and Hostage-Taking the OSCE platform for improving dialogue on migration-relat- Committed by Terrorist Groups in the Context of the Imple- ed matters by developing effective measures and common mentation of UN Security Council Resolution 2133 (2014) calls approaches to address such matters. It also encourages upon the OSCE executive structures to continue promoting OSCE executive structures to reinforce the exchange of the international legal framework against terrorism, to explore good practices and to enhance dialogue and co-operation ways to exchange information between intelligence agencies with the Partners for Co-operation. and the criminal justice systems, and to promote capaci- ty-building for managing, investigating and prosecuting cases With MC Decision No. 6/16 on Enhancing the Use of Ad- of terrorist kidnapping and hostage-taking. vanced Passenger Information, the OSCE participating States commit to: 1. Establish national advance passenger The Belgrade Ministerial Council Declaration No. 2/15 on the information (API) systems in accordance with the provisions OSCE Activities in Support of the Global Efforts Tackling the contained in ICAO’s Annex 9 to the Convention on Interna- World Drug Problem states the need for a balanced and inte- tional Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention) and aligned grated approach to tackling the world drug problem, for further with the WCO/IATA/ICAO Guidelines on Advance Passen- co-operation between the OSCE with UNODC, the Interna- ger Information (API), including those on privacy and data tional Narcotics Control Board, and other relevant multilateral protection, in order to effectively collect passenger and/or organizations, especially with the emergence and spread of crew data from airlines operating in their territories; 2. Con- dangerous new psychoactive substances and the diversion of sider establishing at the national level an interactive system chemical precursors, and for further co-operation in prepara- to exchange API data (iAPI) in order to prevent the movement tion for the UN General Assembly Special Session on the world of foreign terrorist fighters in line with UN Security Council drug problem (UNGASS 2016). resolutions 2178 (2014) and 2309 (2016); 3. Adhere to ICAO Document 9082 “ICAO’s Policies on Charges for Airports The Belgrade Ministerial Council Declaration No. 3/15 on Re- and Air Navigation Services” in the context of establishing inforcing OSCE Efforts to Counter Terrorism in the Wake of the an API system, recognizing that States are responsible for Recent Terrorist Attacks condemns all terrorist attacks and ensuring the implementation of adequate security measures reaffirms the OSCE’s commitments to remain united in com- at airports; 4. Collaborate with all relevant national stakehold- bating terrorism, while underscoring respect for human rights, ers in the implementation of national level API systems, and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law as complementary consider establishing one authority to receive, on behalf of all to effective counter-terrorism measures. other authorities, all forms of passenger data through a single window data entry point; 5. Increase the added value of API The Belgrade Ministerial Council Declaration No. 4/15 on data by seeking to establish automated cross-checking of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicaliza- this data against relevant national, regional and international tion that Lead to Terrorism calls upon participating States to watch lists, in particular INTERPOL databases and UN Sanc- strengthen and adapt their efforts to counter violent extrem- tions Lists; 6. Provide assistance to support other requesting ism and radicalization that lead to terrorism, and to support a participating States in establishing API systems. multi-dimensional approach, including community policing, to counter VERLT within the OSCE area. The Tirana Ministerial Council Declaration No. 1/20 on Strength- ening Co-operation in Countering Transnational Organized The Hamburg Ministerial Council Decision No. 1/16 on Crime underlined the importance of strengthening nation- Strengthening OSCE Efforts to Prevent and Counter Terrorism al co-ordination and international co-operation in countering underscores the central role of the UN in preventing and coun- transnational organized crime through direct contact and en- tering terrorism, including the importance of OSCE commit- gagement between relevant authorities, and by exchange of ments to the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It states information and good practices, as well as by using the tools that participating States have the primary role in preventing and provided by the OSCE, UNODC and other relevant international countering terrorism and VERLT, while stressing the need for organizations. It recommitted to maintaining the countering of participating States to take appropriate steps to prevent and transnational organized crime among the priorities of the OSCE suppress the financing of terrorism. The decision also positively by enhancing implementation of the respective international appreciates the implementation of the #UnitedCVE campaign, obligations and the OSCE’s existing commitments. It also reaf- and welcomed the activities by OSCE executive structures in firmed the tasking of the relevant OSCE executive structures to the area of preventing and countering terrorism. regularly brief the participating States on OSCE activities related to the implementation of existing OSCE commitments to ad- The Hamburg Ministerial Council Decision No. 3/16 on the dress transnational organized crime, and encouraged contin- OSCE’s Role in the Governance of Large Movements of Mi- ued discussions on this topic among the participating States.

119 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

APPENDIX II Abbreviations and Acronyms

AECT Alliance Expert Co-ordination Team

AI artificial intelligence

AMSCA (Kosovo) Agency for the Management of Sequestrated or Confiscated Assets

AML/CFT anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism

APC (Kosovo) Agency for Prevention of Corruption

API advance passenger information

AWKCS Association of Women in Kosovo Correctional Services

AWKP Association of Women in Kosovo Police

BAK Austrian Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption

BAMIN Balkan Asset Management Interagency Network

BiH Bosnia and Herzegovina

BOMCA Border Management Programme in Central Asia

BSMU (OSCE TNTD) Border Security and Management Unit

CBM confidence-building measure

CCPCJ (UN) Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

CEPOL European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training

CFT combating the financing of terrorism

CND (UN) Commission on Narcotic Drugs

CoE Council of Europe

CoESPU Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units

CPC (OSCE) Conflict Prevention Centre

CSO civil society organization

CSW (Kosovo) Centres for Social Work

CTHB combating trafficking in human beings

CT counter-terrorism

CTF countering terrorist financing

CVE countering violent extremism

DCA Drug Control Agency (of Tajikistan)

DCAF Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces

120 Appendices

DELPAT Délégation au patrimoine de l’armée de Terre (of France)

DG HOME (EU) Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

DG INTPA (EU) Directorate-General for International Partnerships

DG NEAR (EU) Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations

DIA (Kosovo) Department for Intelligence and Analysis

DSE Directorate for Safety and Emergencies

EEAS EU External Action Service

EE IWG Eastern European informal working group

EMA (Kosovo) Emergency Management Agency

EMPACT European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats

EU European Union

EUACI EU Anti-Corruption Initiative

EULEX European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo

Europol European Union Law Enforcement Agency

ExB (OSCE) extra-budgetary (project)

FATF Financial Action Task Force

FIU Financial Intelligence Unit

FRA European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Frontex European Border and Coast Guard Agency

FSC Forum for Security Co-operation

FTFs foreign terrorist fighters

GBV gender-based violence

GFCE Global Forum on Cyber Expertise

GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

GRECO Group of States against Corruption

GRETA Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

HAPE EU Home Affairs Programme

HCNM (OSCE) High Commissioner for National Minorities

HCTF Heritage Crime Task Force

HUMINT human intelligence

IATA International Air Transport Association

ICITAP US Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program

ICMPD International Centre for Migration Policy Development

ICT information and communications technology

IDS intruder-detection system

121 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

ILECU (Kosovo) International Law Enforcement Cooperation

ILP intelligence-led policing

INL United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

INTERPOL International Criminal Police Organization

IOM International Organization for Migration

ISP interagency security partnership

IT information technology

KAF Kosovo Agency on Forensics

KAPS Kosovo Academy for Public Safety

KAWSS Kyrgyz Association of Women in the Security Sector

KCS Kosovo Correctional Service

KCSC Kosovo Cyber Security Council

KJC Kosovo Judicial Council

KP Kosovo Police

KPS Kosovo Probation Service

KTA Kosovo Tax Administration

LLMs large language models

LPSC local public safety committees

MC Ministerial Council

MCMDV Municipal Coordination Mechanisms against Domestic Violence

MCSCs municipal community safety councils

MDE (Kosovo) Municipal Directorates of Education

MESTI (Kosovo) Ministry for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation

MLEVSA Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (Serbia)

EU Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financ- MONEYVAL ing of Terrorism

MoE Ministry of Education Development (Serbia)

MoH Ministry of Health

MoI Ministry of Interior

MoIA Ministry of Internal Affairs

MoI KR Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic

MPR mobile police reception

MPSOTC Hellenic Multinational Peace Support Operations Training Center

MTT mobile training team

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NAP National Action Plan

122 Appendices

NCJA North Carolina Justice Academy

NCSC Dutch National Cyber Security Centre

NGO non-governmental organization

NICHD National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

NHRI national human rights institution

NPM national preventive mechanism

NRA national risk assessment

NRA ML/TF National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism

OCBC Gendarmerie Central Office for the Fight against Illegal Trafficking in Cultural Goods

OCEEA (OSCE) Office of the Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities

ODIHR (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

OFA Ohrid Framework Agreement

OGG (Kosovo) Office of Good Governance

ONDOD (Spain) National Office for the Fight Against Hate Crimes

OSINT open source investigative tools

(OSCE) Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Hu- OSR/CTHB man Beings

P/CVERLT preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism

PC Permanent Council

PCOCP Permanent Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors

PCUz OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

PIK Police Inspectorate of Kosovo

PIU Passenger Information Unit

PNR passenger name record

POiA (OSCE) Programme Office in Astana

POiB (OSCE) Programme Office in Bishkek

SAIFE Spotlight on AI and Freedom of Expression

SALW small arms and light weapons

SCO Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

SECI Southeast European Cooperative Initiative

SEE South-Eastern Europe

SIPA State Investigation and Protection Agency

SOP standard operating procedure

SPMU (OSCE TNTD) Strategic Police Matters Unit

SPU (OSCE) support programme for Ukraine

123 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

SR/CTHB (OSCE) Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

SSG/R security sector governance and reform

TADOC Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime

TAHCLE Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement

THB trafficking in human beings

TNTD (OSCE) Transnational Threats Department

TNTD/ATU (OSCE) Transnational Threats Department/Action against Terrorism Unit

TNTD/BSMU (OSCE Transnational Threats Department/Border Security and Management Unit

TNTD/CC (OSCE) Transnational Threats Department/Co-ordination Cell

TNTD/SPMU (OSCE) Transnational Threats Department/Strategic Police Matters Unit

TOC transnational organized crime

ToT training-of-trainers

TTX tabletop exercise

UN United Nations

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNDSS United Nations Department for Safety and Security

UNFPA United Nations Population Fund

UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

UNOCT United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism

UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

UNSCR United Nations Security Council Resolution

VAAO Victims’ Advocacy and Assistance Office

VASP virtual asset service provider

VAW violence against women

VAWG violence against women and girls

VERLT violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism

WBSC World Border Security Congress

WCO World Customs Organization

WHC West Herzegovina Canton

WPA (Montenegrin) Women’s Police Association

WPON Women Police Officers Network

ZELS (North Macedonia) Association of Units of Local Self-Governance

124 Appendices

APPENDIX III Contact Details

Thematic subdivisions in the OSCE Secretariat dealing with police- related issues

Subdivisions Contact person Email Phone

TNTD Ambassador Alena KUPCHYNA Alena.Kupchyna@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6947 OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats

TNTD/SPMU Sami RYHÄNEN 1-AT-VIE-SEC-TNT- +43 1 514 36 6872 Head of Strategic Police Matters StrategicPoliceMatters@oad. Unit osce.int

Jenni DIMITROVA Jeni.Dimitrova@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6941 Administrative Assistant

TNTD/ATU Manuel EISING 1-AT-VIE-SEC-TNT- +43 1 514 36 6772 Senior Legal Counter-Terrorism ActionAgainstTerrorismUnit@ Adviser oad.osce.int

TNTD/BSMU Dragica VUCINIC Dragica.Vucinic@osce. +43 1 514 36 6662 Border Management Officer org 1-AT-VIE-SEC-TNT- BordersTeam@oad.osce.int

TNTD/CC Alicia HARTMANN 1-AT-VIE-SEC-TNT-Co- +43 1 514 36 6844 Analysis and Co-ordination Officer ordinationCell@oad.osce.int

OCEEA Ralf Uwe ERNST 1-AT-VIE-SEC-CEEA@oad. +43 1 514 36 6206 Deputy Co-ordinator, Head of osce.int Economic Governance Unit

Programme for Martin DEXBORG Martin.Dexborg@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6487 Gender Issues Adviser on Gender Issues

OSR/CTHB Tetiana RUDENKO Tetiana.Rudenko@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6921 Senior Co-ordination Adviser

125 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

OSCE institutions dealing with police-related issues Institution Contact person Email Phone

ODIHR Beata Bislim OLAHOVA Beata.BislimOlahova@odihr.pl +48 22 5200 796 Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues

HCNM Tihana LEKO Tihana.Leko@osce.org +31 6 2219 8262 Senior Adviser

RFoM Julia HAAS Julia.Haas@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6805 Adviser

Other relevant programmatic activities Institution Contact person Email Phone

Support Liliya GRUDKO Liliya.Grudko@osce.org +380 672393630 Programme for Associate Co-ordination Officer Ukraine (Human Security Programme)

OSCE field operations dealing with police-related issues

Eastern Europe

Field operation Department Contact person Email Phone

Mission to Moldova Conflict Izabela Sylwia Izabela.Hartmann@ +373 69303600 Prevention/ HARTMANN osce.org Resolution Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova

Vitalie SAVIN Vitalie.Savin@osce.org +373 69871663 National Programme Officer

126 Appendices

South-Eastern Europe

Field operation Department Contact person Email Phone

Presence in Security Darko ANGELOV Darko.Angelov@osce.org +355 694010065 Albania Co-operation Head of Security Co-operation Department

Sasho TRPCHEVSKI Sasho.Trpchevski@osce.org +355 42240001 Law Enforcement Development Officer

Mission to Security Bojan JANKOVIC Bojan.Jankovic@osce.org +387 33952185 Bosnia and Co-operation Head of Security Herzegovina Co-operation

Mateusz Mateusz.Lempkowski@osce. +387 33952230 LEMPKOWSKI org Programme Co-ordinator

Mission in Security and Edward Thomas Edward.Anderson@osce.org +383 382401001310 Kosovo Public Safety ANDERSON Director of the Department for Security and Public Safety

Apollon HOXHA Apollon.Hoxha@osce.org +383 382401002015 National Programme Co-ordination Officer

Mission to Security Stephen Robert Stephen.Harmon@osce.org +382 204064418 Montenegro Co-operation HARMON and Governance Programme Manager, Security Co-Operation and Governance

Milos ULJAREVIC Milos.Uljarevic@osce.org +382 204064044404 Project Assistant

Mission to Security Umberto SEVERINI Umberto.Severini@osce.org +381 113606207 Serbia Co-operation Head of Security Co-operation Department

Natasa RISTOVIC Natasa.Ristovic@osce.org +381 113606253 National Programme Officer

Jovan PAVLOVIC Jovan.Pavlovic@osce.org +381 113606210 Senior Programme Assistant

127 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

Mission to Public Safety Mark DIXON Mark.Dixon@osce.org +389 23234483 Skopje and Community Chief of Police Outreach Development Unit

Paul MARTIN Paul.Martin@osce.org +389 23234757 Senior Police Adviser

Gordana MITROVIC Gordana.Mitrovic@osce.org +389 23234766 Senior Police Adviser (Democratic Policing and Further Professionalization)

Central Asia

Field operation Department Contact person Email Phone

Centre in Prevention and William LEAF William.Leaf@osce.org +993 634818027320 Ashgabat Confidence Political Officer and Security Building Guncha Guncha.Nepesova@osce.org +993 650339427321 Hangeldiyevna NEPESOVA Senior Programme Assistant

Programme Politico-Military Assel KARATAEYVA Assel.Karatayeva@osce.org +7 701 727 9772 Office in Astana Activities National Programme Officer

Aidyn ALIMBEKOV Aidyn.Alimbekov@osce.org +7 701 698 0086 Project Associate

Programme Politico-Military Konstantin Konstantin.Bedarev@osce.org +996 3126124457129 Office in Activities Victorovich Bishkek BEDAREV Head of Politico-Military Department

Irina Irina.Glushchenko@osce.org +996 3126124457148 GLUSHCHENKO Programme Associate

128 Appendices

Programme Political Jukka TUONONEN Jukka.Tuononen@osce.org +992 987601758 Office in and Military Head of Politico-Military Dushanbe Aspects of Department Security Miroslav MILOJEVIC Miroslav.milojevic@osce.org +992 987601788 Police Issues Adviser

Bakhrom Bakhrom.Abdullaev@osce.org +992 987830017 ABDULLAEV National Police Assistance Officer

Project Politico-Military Sergei SIZOV Sergei.Sizov@osce.org +998 7814004707204 Co-ordinator Activities Senior Project Officer in Uzbekistan Mirza Ulugbek Qodir Mirza.Abdullaev@osce.org +998 7114004707232 Ugli ABDULLAEV National Project Officer

129 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

NOTES

130 131 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2023

132 The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

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pm@osce.org www.osce.org

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Key facts

Organisation Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Document type annual-report

Adoption date October 30, 2024

Source OSCE