Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities in 2024



Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities 2024 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.

© OSCE 2025

OSCE 2025 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: TNTD/SPMU@osce.org www.osce.org/secretariat/policing Table of Contents

Foreword by the Secretary General 2 2.2 Eastern Europe 115 2.2.1 Mission to Moldova 115

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 2.3 Central Asia 117 2.3.1 Programme Office in Astana 117 2.3.2 Programme Office in Bishkek 121 1. POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE 2.3.3 Programme Office in Dushanbe 126 OSCE SECRETARIAT 6 2.3.4 Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan 129 1.1 Transnational Threats Department/ Strategic Police Matters Unit (TNTD/SPMU) 8 3. POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF OTHER 1.2 Transnational Threats Department/Action OSCE INSTITUTIONS 131 against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU) 26

1.3 Transnational Threats Department/Border 3.1 OSCE Office for Democratic Security and Management Unit Institutions and Human (TNTD/BSMU)38 Rights (ODIHR) 132

1.4 Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE 3.2 OSCE Representative on Economic and Environmental Activities Freedom of the Media (RFoM) 139 (OCEEA)51

1.5 Office of the Special Representative and 4. OTHER RELEVANT PROGRAMMATIC Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in ACTIVITIES140 Human Beings (OSR/CTHB) 57 4.1 Support Programme for Ukraine 141

2. POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF FIELD OPERATIONS61 5. APPENDICES  145

2.1 South-Eastern Europe 62 APPENDIX I 146 2.1.1 Presence in Albania 62 Decisions, Declarations and Action Plans 2.1.2 Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina 66 with a Focus on Police-Related Activities 146 2.1.3 Mission in Kosovo 75 APPENDIX II 153 2.1.4 Mission to Montenegro 94 Abbreviations and Acronyms 153 2.1.5 Mission to Serbia 98 APPENDIX III 157 2.1.6 Mission to Skopje 109 Contact Details  157 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Foreword by the Secretary General

I am pleased to present the 2024 edition of the Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police-Related Activities. In 2024, the OSCE has provided practical, impactful and tailored support to participating States - strengthening the rule of law, enhancing public trust in policing and building capacity to respond effectively to evolving security threats. Across the OSCE region, we have provided hands-on assistance to law enforcement authorities to modernize policing practices and ensure alignment with international standards and commitments, including on human rights.

These efforts are carried out through the combined work of the Secretariat, the OSCE institutions and its field operations, providing support across the three dimensions of security. I am particularly encouraged by the strengthened close co-operation be- tween different OSCE structures: national, regional and cross-regional activities were designed to ensure complementarity and deliver greater impact. In South-Eastern Eu- rope, for example, we jointly carried out a series of training courses for cadets on victim-centred approaches for addressing gender-based violence. In Central Asia, we developed pilot programmes bringing together police, social services and local com- munities to strengthen resilience and promote a culture of lawfulness among young people.

These examples illustrate how the Secretariat’s technical expertise and cross-regional co-ordination, combined with the deep understanding of local realities of OSCE field operations, creates complementarity that maximizes the impact of OSCE police-relat- ed activities. The field operations’ trusted relationships with authorities and commu- nities and their ability to adapt OSCE support to national contexts act as a powerful multiplier of our efforts to strengthen security and uphold human rights across the OSCE area. Their engagement also enables delivery at scale: one national anti-drug campaign involved over 5,000 young people, in sports tournaments, award ceremo- nies and educational workshops.

As criminal threats facing our societies continue to evolve - from the increasingly so- phisticated exploitation of emerging technologies to new routes for trafficking of peo- ple and illicit goods - the Organization remains essential in shaping, supporting and adapting practical and sustainable responses to these new challenges. In 2024, the OSCE trained 600 police officers and prosecutors across Central Asia to conduct effective cybercrime investigations. It further supported participating States in respon- sibly leveraging new technologies to improve police effectiveness, accountability and transparency.

2  

Strengthening responses to criminal threats requires resilient and effective law en- forcement. In 2024, the OSCE’s police-related activities supported sustainable cultural and institutional change and contributed to more robust and independent oversight. Through initiatives on community policing, tackling hate crime, women’s participation and leadership in the security sector as well engagement with minority communities and vulnerable groups, the OSCE has remained at the forefront of efforts to ensure that policing reflects and responds to the needs and rights of all members of society.

Looking ahead, the Secretariat, the OSCE institutions and field operations will continue working together to ensure that law enforcement authorities are equipped to meet current and future challenges. In an increasingly complex security environment, this report shows that the OSCE remains an essential platform to facilitate dialogue and co-operation, enabling participating States to advance comprehensive security and stability across the OSCE region.

Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu Secretary General of the OSCE

3 Executive Summary The 2024 Annual Report of the Secretary General on Police- Related Activities offers a detailed overview of the projects, training activities and partnerships undertaken by the OSCE Secretariat, OSCE field operations and OSCE institutions to strengthen policing across the OSCE’s participating States.

The Report has been prepared in accordance with Decision 9 of the 2001 Bucharest Ministerial Council and reflects a comprehensive set of mandates stemming from Ministerial Council and Permanent Council decisions. The activities detailed herein encompass a broad spectrum of security priorities, including combating transnational organized crime, cybercrime, trafficking in human beings and terrorism, while advancing gender equality, human rights and community trust in law enforcement.

Gender-responsive policing remained a cross-cutting priority. The OSCE organized training courses in multiple locations to equip cadets and serving officers with the skills to respond effectively and sensitively to gender-based violence. The Organization also produced pioneering research on the role of women in organized crime and promoted international dialogue on how to strengthen prevention and exit strategies.

The OSCE field operations continued to play an essential role in aligning assistance with national priorities. The field operations play a crucial role in implementing police-related activities, particularly in capacity-building, by supporting host countries in strengthening rule-of-law institutions and enhancing community security. Through tailored training programmes, technical assistance and mentoring, OSCE field operations help improve the professionalism, accountability and human rights compliance of police forces, particularly in post-conflict and transitional societies. These efforts contribute to more effective, transparent and community-oriented policing, fostering public trust and stability. Additionally, OSCE field operations facilitate regional co-operation, promote good practices, and support the alignment of national policing standards with international norms, ensuring the sustainability of security sector reforms. By addressing both operational and institutional challenges, the OSCE enhances the capacity of law enforcement agencies to combat crime, terrorism and corruption, while upholding democratic policing principles.

Across all activities, the OSCE maintained strong partnerships with INTERPOL, Europol, UNODC and other international organizations to leverage expertise and resources. Through such collaboration, the OSCE ensured that its work remained relevant and complementary to broader international efforts.

Overall, the report illustrates the OSCE’s commitment to helping law enforcement authorities in its participating States to deliver effective, accountable and rights-respecting services to their communities. With the support of donors and partners, the Organization will continue to innovate and respond to emerging security challenges in the years ahead.

Police-related activities implemented across the OSCE area involved more than 82,000 individuals in 2024, which highlights the significant impact the OSCE continues to have. The share of women and men participating in police- related activities has remained more or less constant over the last five years. In 2024, women accounted for 39 per cent of participants, while men made up 61 per cent of the participants. This is in part a reflection of the gender distribution within the law enforcement services in many OSCE participating States.

100

80

64% 60% 60% 60% 61% 60

40% 40% 40% 39% 40 36%

20

0 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

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 2024

Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

6  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

1 Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) 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 OSCE resources in addressing these threats. It is comprised of four units—Strategic Police Matters, Action against Terrorism, Border Security and Management, and the Co-ordination Cell. The department also deals with cross-cutting topics, such as cyber/ICT security.

7 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

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

Spotlight on ▶ Promoting structured and sustainable training for law enforcement on combating cybercrime in Central Asia and beyond

In August 2024, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) Strategic Police Matters Unit (SPMU) successfully concluded implementation of the extrabudgetary (ExB) project Capacity-Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia1, funded by Finland, Germany, the United States and the Republic of Korea. The project established the OSCE as the only international actor providing systematic capacity-building support to law enforcement on combating cybercrime at the regional level in Central Asia.

Working closely with law enforcement education institutions across the region, the project addressed previous knowledge gaps by training almost 600 police officers and prosecutors across the five Central Asian participating States. The training courses concentrated on the everyday skills frontline officers require to effectively combat cybercrime. Participants gained practical knowledge of how to handle electronic evidence at a crime scene, request electronic evidence from abroad, investigate cryptocurrencies and the dark web, conduct open-source intelligence and online investigations, and better understand the basics of digital forensics. Under the project, the OSCE also provided IT equipment and training materials to educational institutions in each State, enabling on-going and locally-directed education on cybercrime.

A key focus across all project activities was highlighting the critical importance of human rights compliance to effective cybercrime investigations. Recognizing that investigators and prosecutors sometimes struggle to translate the rights set out in international standards into practice at the different stages of criminal proceedings, the project developed a dedicated training guide2, one of the first of its kind, to provide actionable guidance to criminal justice practitioners across the OSCE area on how to uphold human rights in their daily work.

Beyond skills and equipment, this project moved the regional conversation on cybercrime education and training forward by helping to build new professional networks and partnerships between police and prosecutorial academies across Central Asia. Crucially, these activities also triggered wider institutional reforms, including the establishment of new training centres and departments in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

There is still much to do to address the rapidly evolving threat of cybercrime. As such, the second phase of the regional cybercrime project for Central Asia3 kicked off in late 2024 thanks to funding from Germany and the United States. It is structured around the four main pillars that reflect the ongoing challenges experienced by practitioners in the region: education, electronic evidence, regional co-operation and awareness. The importance of upholding international human

1 For more information, please visit https://www.osce.org/project/capacity-building-on-combating-cybercrime-in-central-asia 2 OSCE 2023, Ensuring Human Rights Compliance in Cybercrime Investigations, accessible at https://www.osce.org/secretariat/554901 3 For more information, please visit https://www.osce.org/project/capacity-building-on-combating-cybercrime-in-central-asia-Phase-2

8  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

rights commitments when investigating and prosecuting cybercrimes and other crimes involving electronic evidence will remain a cross-cutting priority.

Beyond Central Asia, in October 2024, SPMU—working closely with the OSCE field operations in South-Eastern Europe—delivered the introductory e-learning course for law enforcement on open- source intelligence and online investigations that it had developed in 2023. The regional training course was delivered to practitioners from South-Eastern Europe in fully online mode, consisting of self-paced e-learning, live webinars, and practical assignments and tests. The course’s ten modules cover topics such as the open-source intelligence process and information theory, web and internet fundamentals, operational security in online investigations, analysis of websites, emails, social networks, images and other open sources, preservation of online evidence, and human rights in the context of online investigations. In addition to its use by SPMU and other OSCE executive structures, law enforcement educational institutions in several participating States have requested access to the course to support their own training activities.

Ž Participants in the open-source intelligence course (OSCE/Juraj Nosal)

9 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Activities 2024 OSCE annual meeting of Heads of Law Enforcement/Security Co-operation Departments 38th meeting of the co-ordination group between on Police-related Activities; Vienna, Austria the Council of Europe (CoE) and the OSCE; (30 October–1 November 2024) Strasbourg, France (26 April 2024) TNTD/SPMU organized the annual meeting of Heads of Law TNTD/SPMU was invited to participate in the 38th meeting Enforcement and/or Security Co-operation Departments of of the co-ordination group between the CoE and the OSCE. the OSCE field operations. These meetings serve as a plat- TNTD/SPMU delivered a short presentation showcasing ex- form to strengthen co-ordination and collaboration between isting the collaboration between the OSCE and the CoE on the OSCE Secretariat, field operations, institutions and exec- cybercrime and gender-based violence, and highlighting the utive structures. They are an opportunity to discuss common potential for additional collaboration on youth crime preven- challenges and concerns, and to share advice and sugges- tion and gender aspects of transnational organized crime. tions to strengthen support to law enforcement authorities in the OSCE area. This year’s sessions focused on fundrais- International conference “Humanity at the ing, collaborating with NGOs and civil society organizations Crossroads: Autonomous Weapons Systems and the (CSOs), as well as the criminal exploitation of AI and other Challenge of Regulation”; Vienna, Austria emerging technologies. (29–30 April 2024)

At the invitation of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Euro- General police development and pean and International Affairs, TNTD/SPMU and the OSCE reform Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) participated in the confer- ence “Humanity at the Crossroads: Autonomous Weapons Systems and the Challenge of Regulation”. The aim of the Presentation of the “Public Survey on the conference was to raise international awareness of the is- Perceptions of Police Reform” and of the “Concept sue of autonomous weapons systems and the legal, moral, Paper and Action Plan on Community Policing”; ethical and security policy challenges they pose, as well as Yerevan, Armenia (20 February 2024) to build momentum and highlight the urgent need to create an international legal and regulatory framework. The event TNTD/SPMU organized a high-level meeting to present the was an opportunity for the CPC and TNTD/SPMU to ex- Public Survey on Perceptions of Police Reform and the Con- change views with national and international experts, as well cept Paper and Action Plan on Community Policing. The as NGOs, and to become aware of the dangers of artificial meeting was attended by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the intelligence (AI) without any international regulation. Republic of Armenia, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Com- 2024 OSCE South-Eastern Europe Regional Meeting mittee on Defence and Security. The discussions highlighted of Heads of Law Enforcement/Security Co-operation the need to use community policing to increase public trust, Departments on Police-related Activities; Kotor, and underlined the importance of ensuring inclusiveness and Montenegro (9–10 May 2024) transparency. The Concept Paper, the Action Plan and the Public Survey were developed within the framework of the The OSCE South-Eastern Europe (SEE) Regional Meeting of project “Accountable Institutions and Human Rights Protec- Heads of Law Enforcement/Security Co-operation Depart- tion in Armenia”, implemented by the OSCE jointly with the ments on Police-related Activities facilitates the exchange of United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations information, good practices and lessons learned between Children’s Fund and the United Nations Population Fund. the Secretariat and OSCE field operations based in SEE, and enables stronger co-ordination and mutual support for each Regional gender and security conference; Skopje, other’s activities. The 2024 meeting focused on discussions North Macedonia (7–8 March 2024) on intelligence-led policing (ILP), environmental crime and enhancing engagement between the OSCE Secretariat and At the invitation of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, TNTD/ the OSCE field operations. SPMU participated in the “Regional Gender and Secu- rity Conference” organized by the Mission and ODIHR. The event facilitated the exchange of experience, good practices, and challenges on promoting gender equality among law en- forcement institutions in the South-Eastern European region, drawing on the expertise of ODIHR, SPMU, the OSCE field

10  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

operations in the region and the OSCE Gender Issues Pro- Training courses for Sarajevo police academy gramme. cadets on fighting gender-based violence; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (13–16 May 2024) Results of the situational analysis on women’s participation in policing in Uzbekistan; Tashkent, TNTD/SPMU organized training courses with a victim-cen- Uzbekistan (24 July 2024) tred approach for police cadets. A team of actors engaged in roleplay scenarios, and a family member of a femicide vic- TNTD/SPMU, together with the CPC and the OSCE Gender tim spoke to the cadets about their experience, emphasizing Issues Programme, presented the final report of the project how the police and other authorities could have handled the “Women’s Participation in Policing in Uzbekistan” to the pro- case differently to prevent the crime. ject’s steering committee. The report is based on interviews with 72 law enforcement professionals from the police and Basic training course for police cadets of the the national guard of Uzbekistan regarding working condi- Police Training Center in Idrizovo; Skopje, North tions of female professionals within these services. The re- Macedonia (18–24 September 2024) port points to several factors that limit female participation and retention within the services, and presents a number of TNTD/SPMU organized a training course for more than 500 recommendations to improve the current situation. The pro- cadets underlining the importance in GBV cases of a vic- ject builds on a similar initiative implemented by the OSCE in tim-centred approach and a comprehensive and multi-sec- Montenegro from 2018 to 2020. torial effort. The trainers brought extensive expertise in law enforcement, legal practice, psychiatry and NGO work sup- Training-of-trainers course on community policing; porting victims of GBV. As part of the training course, pro- Yerevan, Armenia (25 November–6 December 2024) fessional actors performed a role-play based on true stories of online GBV, highlighting cases in which teenagers were TNTD/SPMU organized a training-of-trainers (ToT) course exploited via social media. on community policing for 16 trainers from the Educational Complex of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia. During Presentation of the OSCE-developed mobile phone the course, participants improved their teaching skills and application “JUSTICE GBV” to the Ministry of deepened their knowledge of community policing principles, Internal Affairs of North Macedonia; Skopje, North community engagement and partnership building, cultural Macedonia (20 September 2024) sensitivity, as well as how to respond to domestic violence cases. The training course was delivered using training mod- TNTD/SPMU presented a mobile application that has been ules developed by OSCE experts for the Community Polic- developed for police officers handling cases of GBV. The ap- ing Comprehensive Educational Program at the Educational plication provides information on criminal law, a risk assess- Complex. ment tool and contact details for shelters. It also features tailor-made content for each country where it is used. The application was presented to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Combating gender-based violence (GBV) the Assistant Minister and Director of the Police Training Center, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, JUSTICE round table on reporting on gender-based and an audience of representatives from the Ministry of In- violence: A victim/survivor-centred approach; ternal Affairs. Tirana, Albania (27 February 2024) Training course for police cadets on gender- In co-ordination with the OSCE Presence in Albania, TNTD/ sensitive and victim-centred responses to GBV; SPMU organized an event to promote the principles of gen- Podgorica, Montenegro (25–28 November 2024) der-sensitive and victim/survivor-centred approaches to re- porting on gender-based violence (GBV). The round table TNTD/SPMU, in collaboration with the OSCE Mission to contributed to increased understanding among law enforce- Montenegro and the Police Academy of Montenegro, organ- ment officers and media professionals of the importance ized three training courses for police cadets. The courses of sensitive reporting on GBV. Participants exchanged ap- focused on gender-responsive policing to address violence proaches and good practices for reporting on GBV cases, against women and girls with a victim-centred approach. The emphasizing ethics, sensitivity and accuracy. The round table courses equipped police cadets with basic skills to handle benefited police officers, prosecutors, judicial professionals, cases of violence against women and girls, with a heightened journalists, editors, legal experts, gender advocates, NGO sensitivity for the trauma that victims have endured, in some representatives, academics, students and researchers. cases for many years. During the training course, the Centre

11 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

for Youth Education from Bosnia and Herzegovina present- Support for the law enforcement ed the play “Lullaby Goodbye”, a dramatization inspired by agencies in Moldova the true story of a teenage girl who was a victim of online exploitation that had devastating consequences on her life. Police cadets also attended the screening of “Domestic Vio- Training on behaviour detection at airports; lence”, a film showcasing real-life examples of GBV cases in Chișinău, Moldova (27–29 February 2024) the United States, produced by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the Airport Police Net- work (AIRPOL) conducted a training course titled “Behaviour Training course for police cadets on gender- Detection at Airports”. Bringing together officers from the sensitive and victim-centred responses to GBV; Moldovan Border Police, Customs Service, and Airport Ad- Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina ministration, the course provided Moldovan border and law (9–12 December 2024) enforcement officers with advanced techniques and meth- ods for effective behaviour detection at airports. During the TNTD/SPMU delivered a training course for police cadets of course, participants engaged in discussions and practical the Republika Srpska Police Academy on gender-sensitive exercises designed to deepen their understanding of the be- and victim-centred responses to GBV. The training empha- haviour detection process. The course covered four essen- sized a multisectoral approach. A police officer, a prosecutor, tial steps in behaviour detection, and focused on improving a judge and a psychologist shared their knowledge and ex- interview techniques, conducting effective interviews, and perience. applying risk-based security assessments.

Meeting with the Head of Analysis Directorate, Intelligence-led policing (ILP) Head of International Relations and Deputy Head of Moldova’s General Police Inspectorate; Chișinău, Meeting with the head of the Criminal Police Moldova (18–19 March 2024) Department of the Albanian State Police, and donation of analysis software; Tirana, Albania TNTD/SPMU presented the Moldova project workplan to the (26 February 2024) Head of the Criminal Analysis Directorate in Moldova, and presented analytical software licenses and computer hard- TNTD/SPMU discussed future co-operation with the Head ware as part of the project’s capacity-building. This effort of the Criminal Police Department and donated two analy- combines technical advancement with the adoption of ILP sis software licenses to the Albanian State Police. Donation methodologies and the use of analytical practices by deploy- of analytical software tools is part of the project’s capability- ing cutting-edge software tools and harnessing open-source -enhancement initiative. This initiative combines enhancing intelligence. the analytical expertise of the newly established Information Analysis Sector within the Intelligence and Criminal Archives Round table on strengthening the canine (K9) Directorate of the Albanian State Police, as well as the pro- service capabilities of Moldova’s General Police vision of tools to ensure the Sector’s full potential for crime Inspectorate; Chișinău, Moldova (18 April 2024) analysis. TNTD/SPMU convened a roundtable meeting at Moldova’s Advanced training programme on ILP and crime General Police Inspectorate (GPI). The aim of the meeting analysis; Tirana, Albania (26 February–8 March 2024) was to identify and evaluate models for potentially enhancing the K9 service capabilities as part of a wider OSCE project TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in on supporting law enforcement agencies in Moldova in re- Albania, the Albanian State Police and the Albanian Secu- sponse to the security challenges in the region. During the rity Academy, conducted two advanced training courses for meeting, the participants devised a new master plan for junior analysts from the Intelligence and Criminal Archives Di- comprehensive K9 services at the GPI. The plan offers fo- rectorate of the Albanian State Police. The analysts learned cused assistance to the GPI in bolstering the capacity, work- about strategic risk assessments and advanced crime anal- ing conditions and capabilities of their K9 service. ysis, complementing the knowledge they gained in the intro- ductory courses held in December 2023 on ILP and crime analysis. This multi-stage capacity-building initiative aligns with the recent restructuring of the Albanian State Police In- telligence and its Criminal Archives Directorate.

12  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

High-level meeting for establishing the Moldova in illicit goods, with a focus on small arms and light weapons project steering board; Chișinău, Moldova (SALW), ammunition and explosives. (24 July 2024) Assessment visit; Chișinău, Moldova TNTD/SPMU held a meeting with project stakeholders to (25–27 September 2024) agree on the terms of reference for a Moldova project steer- ing board, convened to ensure the co-ordination among the The Moldova project facilitated a series of meetings with key beneficiaries of all aspects of project implementation. The representatives of the Moldovan National Police, National board is composed of representatives from the governments Inspectorate for Investigations, Public Order Inspectorate, of France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and the Border Police, Customs Service and local/municipal police United States (donor countries), as well as from Moldova’s departments aimed at the assessment of equipment needed Ministry of Internal Affairs, GPI and General Border Police In- for the detection, search, seizure and investigation of traffick- spectorate (beneficiaries). The board will provide guidance ing in illicit goods, with a focus on trafficking in SALW. These and direction to the project team. assessment visits will contribute to the development of the capacities of the law enforcement agencies of Moldova to Meetings of the national working group on detect and investigate trafficking in illicit goods, especially enhancing the K9 capabilities of the Moldovan SALW. national police; Chișinău, Moldova (27–31 August 2024) Equipment donation ceremony for the General Inspectorate of Border Police of Moldova (GIBP); TNTD/SPMU organized a series of meetings at the GPI of Chișinău, Moldova (3 October 2024) the national working group on enhancing the K9 capabilities of the Moldovan police. The meetings focused on develop- TNTD/SPMU organized a donation ceremony at the GIBP ing the first draft of a masterplan titled “Development of the headquarters. During the event, TNTD donated three spe- K9 Directorate of the Republic of Moldova General Police cialized vehicles to the GIBP’s dog handling unit (also re- Inspectorate”. ferred to as the K9 unit) and two analysis software licenses to the GIBP’s risk analysis unit. These donations will improve Training course “Strategic approaches to enhancing the Moldovan Border Police’s rapid response capabilities, the K9 capabilities of the Moldovan General Police”; as well as its overall capacity to detect and prevent cross- Sibiu, Romania (3–4 September 2024) -border crimes.

TNTD/SPMU facilitated a training course for representatives Meetings to assess the capacities of Moldovan law of the Moldovan General Police. The event was organized in enforcement agencies to detect illicit trafficking, co-operation with the OSCE’s CPC and its Forum for Secu- with a focus on SALW; Chișinău, Moldova rity Co-operation Support Unit (CPC/FSC SU), the K9 Oper- (5–8 November 2024) ational Service of the Romanian Police and the Romanian K9 National Center ”Dr. Aurel Greblea”. The course provided a TNTD/SPMU conducted various on-site assessments at the platform to discuss the transformation of the Moldovan GPI GPI’s Forensic and Judicial Expertise Centre as well as re- K9 service in line with international standards and require- gional police stations to evaluate detection and investigation ments, particularly by facilitating the sharing of experiences capacities of illicit trafficking, particularly SALW-related traf- and good practices between the K9 services of Romania ficking, focusing on the equipment needed for effective op- and Moldova. erations. Additional co-ordination meetings were conducted with international partners, including Frontex and the South First meeting of the inter-institutional working group Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of on detection, search, seizure and investigation of Small Arms and Light Weapons. trafficking in illicit goods; Chișinău, Moldova (24 September 2024) Meeting of the Moldovan national inter-institutional working group on detection, search, seizure and TNTD/SPMU convened the first meeting of the inter-institu- investigation of illicit trafficking, with a focus on tional working group on detection, search, seizure and inves- SALW; Chișinău, Moldova (6 November 2024) tigation of trafficking in illicit goods at the headquarters of the Moldovan GPI. The activity aimed at reviewing the related The second meeting of the inter-institutional working group departmental and sectoral laws and bylaws on detection, on detection, search, seizure and investigation of illicit traf- search, seizure, confiscation and investigation of trafficking ficking, with a focus on SALW, included representatives of

13 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Moldova’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, GPI, GIBP, Customs Consultation meetings with Moldovan authorities Service, and Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Serious Or- on 2025 airport security capacity-building activities; ganized Crime and Special Cases. Established as part of Mol- Chișinău, Moldova (17 December 2024) dova’s National Action Plan for EU Accession (2024–2027), the working group aims to align the national legal framework TNTD/SPMU conducted a series of consultation meetings with EU standards. Insights from this meeting will guide leg- with Moldovan authorities to discuss and plan capacity-build- islative and regulatory analyses and support amendments ing activities that will take place in 2025, focusing on simula- to bolster the operational efficiency of relevant authorities. tion exercises on crisis management at international airports, Discussions included proposed amendments to the legisla- training courses on insider threats, and others. Based on the tive framework, and assessments of training and equipment findings of these consultation meetings, TNTD has designed needs of Moldovan law enforcement. These enhancements a series of training courses in co-operation with the Network are expected to improve detection, search and seizure op- for Police and Border Guard Units at EU airports (AIRPOL), erations, which will elevate the quality of investigations and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the evidence-gathering in SALW trafficking cases. European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC).

Assessment of the strategic analysis and intelligence-led policing capacities of Moldova’s Addressing threats posed by GPI; Chișinău, Moldova (11–15 November 2024) criminal activity TNTD/SPMU gathered representatives of Moldova’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and GPI in a series of meetings on ways to OSCE training course on organized crime and strengthen national policing strategies through an ILP frame- the role of women in criminal networks; Bishkek, work. The discussions helped identify skill and knowledge Kyrgyzstan (29–31 January 2024) gaps critical to the effective implementation of ILP and the use of strategic analysis, such as data collection, trend anal- TNTD/SPMU and the OSCE Academy in Bishkek organ- yses, resource planning and the legal aspects of intelligence ized a training programme dedicated to combating organ- work. To understand the effectiveness of current training pro- ized crime, including the often-overlooked role of women in grammes and explore opportunities to integrate international criminal networks, for OSCE Academy students from Central good practices, national stakeholders reviewed the GPI’s or- Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. The participants identified ganizational structures, procedures and available tools. This and discussed key security challenges concerning organized assessment laid the groundwork for a roadmap to enhance crime across the region. The discussions led to the devel- Moldova’s law enforcement capabilities in combating crime, opment of concrete policy recommendations and ideas on fostering a proactive and intelligence-driven approach. how to effectively combat and prevent organized crime in the long term by addressing the involvement of women in Study visit for officers from the K9 units of criminal networks across Central Asia and beyond. During Moldova’s GIBP, GPI and Customs Service; Paris the programme, students also discussed the main findings of and Gramat, France (25–29 November 2024) the new OSCE assessment report Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime, analysing the recruitment, roles TNTD/SPMU organized a study visit on K9 capabilities to and reasons behind women’s involvement in criminal net- France for representatives of Moldova’s GIBP, GPI and Cus- works in Central Asia, and learning from international good toms Service. The visits to Paris and Gramat took place at practices on gender-sensitive organized crime prevention. the operational and training facilities of the French Gendar- merie and National Police. The participants explored strate- OSCE side event on gender equality in organized gic approaches to advancing K9 services in line with Euro- crime prevention and exit at the UN Commission on pean standards and good practices. Discussions focused on the Status of Women (CSW68); New York, United strategic management and operational frameworks shaping States (11 March 2024) modern K9 operations. During the visit, participants engaged in practical demonstrations of French K9 training methods On the margins of the 68th UN Commission on the Status for detection, search and rescue, and operations related to of Women, TNTD/SPMU co-organized a side event together organized crime. Hands-on sessions provided opportunities with the OSCE Chairpersonship of Malta titled “Empowering to implement lessons learned, while discussions and feed- Women for Justice: Advancing Gender Equality in Organized back exchanges offered actionable insights into integrating Crime Prevention and Exit Strategies”. The event was hosted international standards into Moldova’s K9 services. by the Permanent Mission of Malta to the United Nations, and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Albania,

14  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Canada, Italy, Sweden and Tajikistan. Drawing on the find- platform to discuss emerging trends, associated challenges ings and recommendations of the OSCE assessment report and the impact of organized crime. The participants shared Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime, the good practices on gender-sensitive organized crime preven- side event was an opportunity to discuss the various roles tion, and examined how women are recruited into organized played by women in organized crime groups and what is crime, their roles within these networks, as well as why and needed to develop a more gender-sensitive criminal justice how they exit them. response to transnational organized crime. Reflecting the whole-of-society approach that supports gender-inclusive UNODC regional multi-stakeholder event for responses to organized crime, the side event brought to- South-Eastern Europe on strategies against gether policymakers, criminal justice practitioners and repre- organized crime, including gender and human sentatives from civil society. rights mainstreaming in preventing and combating organized crime; Vienna, Austria (23–25 July 2024) European Crime Prevention Conference; Tallinn, Estonia (17–18 April 2024) TNTD/SPMU attended the UNODC Regional Multi-Stake- holder Event and delivered a presentation during the pan- At the invitation of the European Crime Prevention Network, el discussion “Achieving Gender and Human Rights Main- TNTD/SPMU presented its assessment report Understand- streaming to Effectively Prevent and Combat Organized ing the Role of Women in Organized Crime to focal points on Crime – the Role of International and Regional Organiza- crime prevention of EU Member States. TNTD’s presentation tions”, focusing on the work of the OSCE on advancing gen- focused on how women and girls are recruited into organized der equality and protecting human rights in security/criminal crime, their roles inside criminal networks, and gender-sen- justice-related matters. sitive good practices for organized crime prevention. The conference gathered criminal justice practitioners, as well as Review workshop for the OSCE course representatives from civil society and academia from across “Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Online the EU working on crime prevention. Investigations: Intermediate Level”; Vienna, Austria (28–30 August 2024) UNODC regional event on gender and human rights mainstreaming in preventing and combating TNTD/SPMU organized the above workshop to review a new organized crime in Central Asia and the Southern online training course for law enforcement on OSINT and on- Caucasus; Samarkand, Uzbekistan (31 May 2024) line investigations. Participants reviewed the draft training materials for the intermediate course, and identified further At the invitation of UNODC, TNTD/SPMU participated in the refinements to ensure that the course materials are oper- above event, which explored and promoted the importance ationally adequate for law enforcement practitioners. The of gender-responsive and human rights-compliant respons- workshop was attended by law enforcement experts from es to organized crime, and brought together policymakers the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training and legislative drafters with experience in organized crime- (CEPOL), the European Cybercrime Training and Education -related matters from Central Asia and the Southern Cau- Group, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement casus—including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Cooperation (Europol), the International Criminal Police Or- Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—as ganization (INTERPOL), the Turkish International Academy well as practitioners specializing in preventing and counter- Against Drugs and Organized Crime, as well as representa- ing organized crime, and representatives of agencies tasked tives from Germany, Ireland, Lithuania and the United King- with mainstreaming gender and human rights dimensions in dom. law and policy. TNTD/SPMU’s presentation highlighted the OSCE’s approaches and tools in mainstreaming gender and Workshop on illicit firearms trafficking; Tirana, human rights in its activities against organized crime. Albania (3–4 September 2024)

Regional workshop “Fostering a Better TNTD/SPMU participated in a workshop on illicit firearms traf- Understanding of the Role of Women in Organized ficking organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, in col- Crime to Enhance Disruption and Prevention laboration with the US Department of Justice’s International Efforts”; Belgrade, Serbia (2–3 July 2024) Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP). The workshop aimed at strengthening the capacities of Alba- TNTD/SPMU organized a regional workshop gathering crim- nian law enforcement in combating the growing threat of illicit inal justice practitioners and policymakers from South-East- trafficking in firearms, with a focus on transnational organized ern Europe and Moldova. The workshop provided a regional crime groups. In addition to expert practitioners from the Ger-

15 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

man Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA) in an environment of limited resources. Such analysis can and the Dutch National Police (online), TNTD/SPMU gave a contribute significantly to evidence-based and more pro- presentation on OSCE support to reduce firearms trafficking active operational and strategic planning, which helps to and related transnational threats in the OSCE area. make policing both more effective and more efficient. The meeting benefited from the input of expert contributors from International conference on trafficking in human law enforcement, academia and the private sector. beings, organized by the Council of Baltic Sea States; Tallinn, Estonia (11–12 September 2024) Seminar on addressing trafficking in persons from minority communities through enhanced police– At the invitation of the Estonian Ministry of Justice and Pres- public partnerships; Vienna, Austria idency of the Council of Baltic Sea States, TNTD/SPMU to- (30 October 2024) gether with the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings TNTD/SPMU and the OSR/CTHB hosted the above event, (OSR/CTHB) presented a talk titled “Understanding Female which addressed the fight against trafficking in persons from Agency in Organized Crime and Trafficking in Human Beings” minority communities, with a particular focus on strengthen- at the above conference. The OSCE presented its research ing partnerships between police and communities. The sem- findings on the role of women in organized crime4, highlight- inar highlighted the specific challenges faced by trafficking ing the victim-offender overlap and the importance of apply- victims who are members of minority groups in accessing ing the non-punishment principle. protection services, assistance and legal remedies, empha- sizing the need for human rights-based police responses. Side event “Women in organized crime: The event brought together over sixty participants, includ- Understanding their role to strengthen prevention ing representatives from OSCE field operations, delegations and exit initiatives” at the 12th Conference of the from participating States, national anti-trafficking authorities, Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational law enforcement members, criminal justice actors, civil so- Organized Crime; Vienna, Austria (15 October 2024) ciety representatives and survivors. The discussions drew on the recent OSCE publication Addressing the Dynamics TNTD/SPMU and the OSCE Office of the OSR/CTHB, with of Trafficking in Persons Belonging to Minorities, including the support of the delegations of Kyrgyzstan and Sweden, National Minorities5, as well as the OSCE guide Good Prac- organized the above side event, focusing on the findings tices in Building Police–Public Partnerships6, underlining the of the OSCE assessment report Understanding the Role of necessity of cross-institutional co-operation to improve iden- Women in Organized Crime. The event explored the role of tification, prevention and response efforts. women within organized crime groups and how they can be better identified in order to support prevention and exit ini- tiatives. The discussion highlighted how addressing gender Asset recovery stereotypes can strengthen the detection of organized crime cases by criminal justice authorities. The event brought to- Support to prosecutor’s offices in drafting updated gether diverse perspectives, including those of criminal jus- standard operating procedures for financial tice and law enforcement officials, researchers, survivors investigations; throughout Montenegro from organized crime groups and NGOs. (throughout 2024)

Expert discussion on harnessing new technologies At the request of the Supreme State Prosecutor’s Office, to enhance crime analysis; Vienna, Austria TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA provided expert support to Mon- (22–23 October 2024) tenegro for the development of new standard operating pro- cedures (SOPs) for conducting financial investigations. The TNTD/SPMU organized the first event of a series of expert asset recovery project provided expertise and consultations roundtable discussions on the use of new and emerging with international experts to a working group set up for this technologies by law enforcement. This first event was dedi- purpose, composed of prosecutors from Montenegro’s Su- cated to the topic of harnessing new technologies to enhance preme, Special, High and Basic Prosecutor’s Offices. New crime analysis. The capability to analyse criminal trends and patterns is increasingly important as law enforcement agen- cies seek to address ever more complex security challenges 5 OSCE 2024, Out of the Shadows: Addressing the Dynamics of Trafficking in Per- sons Belonging to Minorities, including National Minorities, accessible at https:// www.osce.org/secretariat/574475 4 OSCE 2023, Understanding the Role of Women in Organized Crime, accessible at 6 OSCE 2022, Good Practices in Building Police–Public Partnerships, accessible at https://www.osce.org/secretariat/560049 https://www.osce.org/spmu/32547

16  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

SOPs were highlighted by the working group as a key re- laundering and other crimes. Conducted by a national expert quirement in Montenegro for more effective approaches in and a representative from the Italian Guardia di Finanza, the the fight against organized crime and corruption. training enhanced practitioners’ knowledge and promoted a common understanding of financial investigations, identifica- Online and in-person meetings with Asset tion and recovery of assets acquired through illegal activities, Management Agencies and the Balkan Asset money laundering, and cross-border tracing of illicit financial Management Interagency Network (BAMIN) on flows. Interactive sessions required participants to apply their ongoing and future support; online (January 2024) acquired knowledge to case scenarios involving complex money laundering schemes and illicitly acquired property, in- TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA organized online meetings with cluding across national borders. key asset recovery project beneficiaries to discuss the pro- ject implementation throughout the year. Meetings with ben- Publication of the comparative study Good practices eficiaries in Serbia were held with the support of the OSCE in asset recovery legislation in selected OSCE Mission to Serbia. The discussions helped prioritize and tailor participating States; online (25 March 2024) activities to the requests and needs of the beneficiaries, as well as ensure their continued ownership of the project. The above comparative study7, drafted under the OSCE’s implementing partnership agreement with the Basel Insti- Round table on asset recovery and money- tute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery, identifies leg- laundering for practitioners; Tirana, Albania islative mechanisms in OSCE participating States that em- (27 February 2024) power States to confiscate suspected or proven proceeds of crime. The overall objective is to showcase established TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA organized a round table in Albania good practices with regard to the design of such legislative to identify challenges and capacity-building gaps, with the mechanisms, and any unique approaches that particular aim of unifying efforts against organized crime. Designed to countries have that could be replicated and tested in other catalyse in-depth discussions on the application of asset sei- jurisdictions. zure and confiscation provisions, it brought together criminal justice stakeholders from Albania’s General Prosecutor’s Of- Support for participation in an international fice, District Prosecutor’s Offices, Judicial Police Officers and conference on asset management; Kyiv, Ukraine District Courts. Participants stressed the urgency of updating (25–28 March 2024) training programmes to cover emerging challenges and tools in financial crime, including the handling of cryptocurrencies TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA facilitated the participation of rep- and leveraging technology in investigations. resentatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Federal Agency for the Management of Confiscated Assets and from Roma- BAMIN steering group meeting; Skopje, North nia’s National Agency for the Management of Confiscated Macedonia (27–28 February 2024) Assets at a conference on asset management held in Kyiv. The conference was organized by the Ukrainian National The steering group of BAMIN, composed of the asset man- Agency for Finding, Monitoring and Managing Assets ac- agement agencies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Mol- quired through organized crime and other criminal offens- dova, North Macedonia and Ukraine, gathered to discuss es. The conference represented a further step forward in the strategic priorities of 2024, as well as areas of common strengthening international and regional co-operation in the concern that the network can address. In addition to the fight against illicit activities. steering group meeting, an informal peer review was initiated to assess the effectiveness of the North Macedonian Asset Training course on asset recovery and anti-money Management Office (AMO). laundering; Podgorica, Montenegro (26–27 March 2024) Training on asset recovery and anti-money laundering for judges and prosecutors; Podgorica, TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA organized a training course in Montenegro (26–27 March 2024) Montenegro to enhance the knowledge and skills of judg- es and prosecutors on asset recovery and money launder- TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in co-operation with the Judicial ing. The training course gathered practitioners from various Training Centre of Montenegro, organized a two-day training courts and prosecutor’s offices across Montenegro, who dis- course for judges and prosecutors. The discussions raised awareness of the importance of applying asset recovery pro- 7 OSCE 2024, Good practices in asset recovery legislation in selected OSCE partic- visions in the fight against organized crime, corruption, money ipating States, accessible at https://www.osce.org/secretariat/566329

17 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

cussed national challenges and existing good practices relat- parative paper produced by the Basel Institute on Govern- ed to financial investigations, asset identification and seizure/ ance as part of the project “Good practices in asset recovery confiscation, and stand-alone money laundering cases. An legislation in selected OSCE participating States”. The panel expert from the Italian Guardia di Finanza elaborated on the featured speakers from Italy and Romania, as well as from complex dynamics of illicit financial flows and money laun- the Basel Institute on Governance and UNHCR. It was mod- dering, with a particular focus on the challenges associated erated by the CiO Special Representative on Anti-Corruption. with the confiscation of criminal assets located abroad. Central Asia regional conference on asset recovery; Presentation at the UN Commission on Crime Almaty, Kazakhstan (18–20 June 2024) Prevention and Criminal Justice; Vienna, Austria (14 May 2024) TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in co-operation with UNODC, held a Central Asia regional conference on asset recovery. TNTD/SPMU took the floor during a thematic discussion The event served as an opportunity to bring together anti- on promoting international co-operation and technical as- -corruption experts and government officials from the five sistance—such as extradition, mutual legal assistance and Central Asian participating States, as well as anti-corruption asset recovery—to prevent and address organized crime, and asset recovery experts from OSCE, UNODC and other corruption, terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and international organizations, to discuss the establishment of other types of crime. TNTD/SPMU outlined the OSCE’s ef- the Central Asian Regional Component of the Global Opera- forts in promoting asset recovery as a modern approach to tional Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Author- security by supporting criminal justice practitioners with spe- ities (GlobE Network). Also discussed were good practices cialized training and policy development, as well as facilitat- in information exchange related to money laundering, trans- ing the functioning of multilateral platforms. national organized crime and asset recovery cases. Also experts from South-Eastern Europe who have been bene- TNTD-OCEEA-UNODC regional conference on asset ficiaries since 2019 of TNTD-OCEEA capacity-building on recovery in Central Asia; Tashkent, Uzbekistan asset recovery shared their knowledge and experiences with (20–21 May 2024) practitioners from Central Asia.

TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA organized a regional conference Participation in the Sixth Financial Action Task Force on asset recovery in co-operation with UNODC that aimed at plenary session; Singapore (23–28 June 2024) raising awareness of asset recovery among law enforcement officers, prosecutors and asset managers from Kazakhstan, TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA participated in the sixth Finan- Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It pro- cial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary session as well as in vided a platform to discuss latest trends in asset recovery, as the working group meetings to discuss key issues related well as good practices in developing asset recovery strate- to money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation fi- gies and managing seized and confiscated criminal assets. nancing, which are closely related to the OSCE’s efforts to The second day of the conference focused on the challenges promote asset recovery. Delegates from the FATF’s Global of tracing and confiscating crypto-assets. Network of over 200 jurisdictions and observers from inter- national organizations identified ways to enhance transpar- BAMIN steering group meeting; Skopje, North ency of beneficial ownership globally, and prevent criminals Macedonia (27–29 May 2024) and terrorists from hiding their activities and funds behind complex corporate structures or legal arrangements such as The BAMIN steering group, supported by TNTD and OCEEA, trusts. met in Skopje, where North Macedonia assumed the current presidency of the network. Participants discussed thematic Roundtable conference on the challenges of judicial priorities for the upcoming presidency and the annual general police officials in executing court decisions and meeting, which then took place in September 2024. orders regarding property confiscation; Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1–3 July 2024) International Anti-Corruption Conference; Vilnius, Lithuania (18 June 2024) TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, jointly with the Bosnia and Her- zegovina Seized Property Management Agency (FAZUOI), TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, jointly with the CiO Special Rep- organized a roundtable conference on the challenges relat- resentative on Anti-Corruption, organized a panel discussion ed to executing court decisions and orders regarding prop- on asset recovery at the International Anti-Corruption Con- erty confiscation. The event brought together officials from ference. This served as an opportunity to present the com- FAZUOI and the Judicial Police, and concluded with the

18  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

signing of the interagency Co-operation Agreement on the which combines the efforts of the Carabinieri, Polizia di Stato Implementation of the Law on Confiscation of Illegally Ac- and Guardia di Finanza. The peer exchange contributed to quired Property through Criminal Offences in Bosnia and strengthening the efforts of the Albanian institutions to de- Herzegovina. Under this Agreement, the parties have com- velop practices and capabilities to fight organized crime and mitted to exchange up-to-date information to duly, efficiently corruption through asset recovery, such as by establishing and securely enforce court decisions related to temporary or an Asset Recovery Office. permanent confiscation of illegally acquired property. Roundtable discussion “Application and Annual general meeting of BAMIN and training event Challenges in Initiating and Implementing Financial on the management of crypto-assets; Struga, North Investigations for Contact Persons”; Neum, Bosnia Macedonia (18–19 September 2024) and Herzegovina (7–8 November 2024)

The 9th Annual General Meeting of BAMIN took place with TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in co-operation with the Agency the financial and organizational support of the asset recovery for the Management of Confiscated Assets of Bosnia and project. The meeting brought together asset management Herzegovina and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Her- agencies from across the OSCE area to discuss various as- zegovina, facilitated a roundtable discussion on financial pects of asset management. During the meeting, France and investigations in criminal cases. Attending the event were the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research practitioners from the State Investigation and Protection Institute were introduced as new members of BAMIN. After Agency, the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Offices of Sarajevo, the meeting, a training event was held that focused on the Tuzla, Una-Sana, Central Bosnia, Zenica-Doboj, Neretva, comprehensive management of crypto-assets. The training West Herzegovina, Canton 10, and Posavina, as well as agenda included cryptocurrency basics, pre-seizure plan- Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tax Administration, Securities ning, good seizure practices, short- and long-term asset Registry, Securities Commission, and Chamber of No- management and realization of assets. The event presented taries. Also representatives from the banking sector and case studies and offered practical training on how to trans- the asset management agencies of Republika Srpska and fer cryptocurrency into the custody of an asset management the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina attended the office. event. To support the fight against organized crime, cor- ruption and economic crime, the roundtable discussion Conference on the social use of confiscated assets; backed efforts of institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina the Vatican (19–20 September 2024) at all levels to step up internal co-ordination mechanisms between agencies involved in financial investigations. The At the invitation of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of participants discussed the development of concrete tools Social Sciences, TNTD/SPMU attended a conference on for more effective financial investigations, as well as prompt developing and implementing strategies for the social use identification, freezing and seizure of illegally acquired as- of assets confiscated from organized crime. At a session sets. titled “International Regulations and Prospects for Collab- oration in Asset Recovery and in their Administration and Open-source investigation (OSINT) training for Destination”, the OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Ad- Kazakhstan’s Asset Recovery Committee; Astana, dress Transnational Threats gave a presentation on the Kazakhstan (12–14 November 2024) OSCE’s continuing work to facilitate cross-border co-oper- ation among participating States in asset recovery. On the TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in co-operation with UNODC, Ka- margins of the conference, bilateral meetings were held, zakhstan’s Asset Recovery Committee and the Law Enforce- including with INTERPOL. ment Academy of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ka- zakhstan, conducted a training course on OSINT techniques Peer exchange visit to Italy’s Anti-Mafia and tools to counter illicit financial activity associated with Investigations Directorate of Albanian criminal corruption and organized crime. Prosecutors, investigators justice practitioners; Rome, Italy and analysts of the Asset Recovery Committee participated (4–7 November 2024) in the event, which was designed to help strengthen their skills in using OSINT investigative tools and techniques when TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, jointly with the OSCE Presence addressing transnational organized crime. in Albania, organized a study visit to Italy’s Anti-Mafia Inves- tigations Directorate for senior prosecutors, judges and po- lice officers from Albania. The visit focused on Italy’s asset recovery strategies and integrated law enforcement model,

19 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Roundtable discussion on asset recovery challenges hance informal and formal international collaboration in the in Republika Srpska; Banja Luka, Bosnia and fight against transnational organized crime. The participants Herzegovina (13 November 2024) discussed emerging criminal trends, including encrypted communications, dark web-related crimes, and the use of TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in collaboration with the OSCE virtual assets such as cryptocurrencies. Sessions also fo- Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, organized a roundtable cused on digital evidence and strategies to dismantle crimi- discussion on asset recovery challenges, bringing together nal networks. The meeting highlighted the need for improved 30 legal professionals, law enforcement officers, prosecutors cross-border co-operation, informal networking, and inte- and representatives (17 women, 13 men) of the Ministry of gration with frameworks such as Eurojust and INTERPOL. Justice and asset management agencies of Republika Srp- Also examined by the participants was the sustainability of ska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also at- the permanent conference and proposals for a strategic op- tending the event were representatives from the European erational roadmap. Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the US Department of Justice. Cybercrime Regional co-ordination meeting of donors providing assistance on asset recovery in South-Eastern Development workshop for the intermediate level Europe; online (24 November 2024) of the e-learning course “Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Online Investigations”; Vienna, Austria TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA took part in the annual South-East- (31 January–2 February 2024) ern Europe regional co-ordination meeting for major techni- cal co-operation donors providing support in South-Eastern TNTD/SPMU held a development workshop with experts Europe for advancing policies and capacities to counter and from Germany, Ireland and Lithuania to initiate work on a new fight transnational organized crime and corruption. The focus intermediate level of the e-learning course “OSINT and On- of the meeting was asset recovery. line Investigations”. Building on the introductory-level course developed in 2023, the intermediate-level course is also be- Workshop on navigating asset recovery: Preserving ing designed as a modular, self-paced e-learning course. the value of frozen, seized and confiscated assets; When finalized, it will be offered to TNTD’s key partners in Podgorica, Montenegro (28–29 November 2024) its capacity-building efforts to combat cybercrime, including the European Cybercrime Training and Education Group, TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA organized a workshop in Monte- CEPOL, INTERPOL, UNODC and other relevant national in- negro on navigating asset recovery, with a focus on preserv- stitutions in the OSCE area. ing the value of frozen, seized and confiscated assets. The workshop was tailored for prosecutors, and focused on re- E-learning course “OSINT and Online Investigations: cent developments in Montenegro regarding asset recovery, Introductory Level”; online (21 & 28 February 2024) including new provisions in Montenegro’s Law on Confisca- tion of Property Benefits. Also discussed was the manage- TNTD/SPMU organized two webinars to present the intro- ment of seized and confiscated criminal assets, the applica- ductory level “OSINT and Online Investigations” course to the tion of temporary security measures, and the importance of OSCE executive structures and external partner organiza- inter-institutional co-operation to ensure value preservation tions, including Europol, CEPOL, the European Cybercrime of frozen and confiscated assets. The workshop concluded Training and Education Group, and the Council of Europe. with a set of practical recommendations on how to bring the During the webinars, TNTD briefed the audience on the asset recovery agenda forward in Montenegro and align the background of the course development and demonstrated application of existing legal tools with EU and international the functionality of the course on the OSCE e-learning plat- standards. form. Several organizations have since requested permission to integrate the OSCE course into their e-learning manage- Tenth Annual General Meeting of the Permanent ment system, including CEPOL and two police academies Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors; in Germany (in Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-West- Vienna, Austria (17–18 December 2024) phalia).

TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA hosted the Tenth Annual General Meeting of the Permanent Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors, which brought together senior prosecutors, judges and legal experts from 14 participating States to en-

20  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

National training course “OSINT and Online (phase I)”, which consisted of two parts: a review conference Investigations: Introductory Level”; Tashkent, in Vienna, Austria, on 11 June and a study visit to CEPOL Uzbekistan (22–26 April 2024) in Budapest, Hungary, on 12 June. The review conference took stock of the project’s implementation and reflected on TNTD/SPMU delivered the introductory level OSINT training its main achievements and lessons learned. Participants dis- course to representatives of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Internal cussed the key outcomes and impact of the project, and Affairs, Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Law identified their further capacity-building needs amid the con- Enforcement Academy. The training course was delivered at tinuously evolving cybercrime landscape across the region. the Law Enforcement Academy of Uzbekistan in Tashkent The conference was attended by around 50 participants by expert trainers from Georgia and Lithuania. The training from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and event was based on the OSCE e-learning course “OSINT Uzbekistan (all men), including 20 senior representatives of and Online Investigations” developed by TNTD in 2024. It law enforcement/prosecutorial authorities and their educa- covered the following ten thematic areas: introduction to tional institutions. The next day, TNTD organized a one-day OSINT and information theory, web and internet fundamen- study visit to CEPOL’s Training Hub in Budapest, Hungary, tals, operational security in online investigations, search for the senior representatives from Central Asia who attend- engines and search operators, website and email analysis, ed the conference. The objective of the study visit was to social networks, sources of OSINT for investigators, im- present good practices in professional training and capac- age-based OSINT, preserving online evidence, and human ity-building for law enforcement on combating cybercrime rights in OSINT. and dealing with electronic evidence.

National training course “OSINT and Online Third regional co-ordination meeting of the Investigations: Introductory Level”; Kosshy, cybercrime project; Vienna, Austria (13 June 2024) Kazakhstan (13–17 May 2024) TNTD/SPMU organized the third (and final) regional co-ordi- TNTD/SPMU delivered the introductory level OSINT training nation meeting under the cybercrime project. The purpose course to representatives of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The of the meeting was to identify and discuss which capacity- participants completed the course and received certificates. -building needs on cybercrime remain in Central Asia and The course was delivered at the premises of Law Enforce- how they would be addressed in the second phase of the ment Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office of OSCE’s regional initiative on cybercrime. The meeting was Kazakhstan in Kosshy by three expert trainers from Kazakh- attended by senior representatives of law enforcement and stan, Lithuania and Uzbekistan. prosecutorial authorities from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ta- jikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The participants dis- National training course “Introduction to Cybercrime cussed the implementation of the project’s second phase, and Digital Evidence”; Kosshy, Kazakhstan which is planned from September 2024 to December 2027. (21–24 May 2024) National training course “OSINT and Online TNTD/SPMU supported the Law Enforcement Academy Investigations: Introductory Level”; Bishkek, under the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan in the Kyrgyzstan (24–28 June 2024) delivery of the course “Introduction to Cybercrime and Digital Evidence”. This was the fifth national training course in Ka- TNTD/SPMU delivered the introductory OSINT training zakhstan organized within the framework of the cybercrime course to representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Inter- project. The course was delivered by two staff members of nal Affairs and Office of the Prosecutor General. The partic- the Law Enforcement Academy, together with an internation- ipants completed the course and received certificates. The al expert from Moldova. It was the first time the course was course was delivered at the premises of the Academy of the delivered by national experts from one of the beneficiary in- Ministry of Internal Affairs in Bishkek by two expert trainers stitutions in the country. from Georgia and Lithuania. The event was based on the OSCE e-learning course “OSINT and Online Investigations: Concluding event of the project “Capacity-Building Introductory Level” that was developed by TNTD in 2023. It on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia (phase I)”; covered the same thematic areas as the above-mentioned Vienna, Austria & Budapest, Hungary courses held in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. This was the (11–12 June 2024) fifth national training course in Kyrgyzstan organized under the cybercrime project. TNTD/SPMU organized a concluding event for the project “Capacity-Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia

21 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

External evaluation of the project “Capacity-Building Webinar on the misuse of AI for criminal purposes on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”; Vienna, for Uzbekistan’s Academy of the Ministry of Internal Austria (July & August 2024) Affairs; online (26 November 2024)

A decentralized external evaluation of the project “Capacity- TNTD/SPMU, jointly with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator -Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia” was in Uzbekistan, delivered the above webinar to around 40 conducted by an independent consultant from Kazakhstan. cadets and lecturers from the Academy of the Ministry of Data was collected through semi-structured interviews (both Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan. The webinar provided the par- in-person and online) with key stakeholders from the five ticipants with a theoretical introduction to AI and its role in beneficiary countries of the region, as well as with relevant criminal activities, as well as two practical case studies on OSCE staff, external experts, and representatives from the the misuse of generative AI to facilitate trafficking in persons, key donor participating States. The project officially conclud- and AI in the context of counter-terrorism. ed on 31 August. On 1 September, a second phase began, ExB project No. 1102674 “Capacity-Building on Combating Regional workshop on developing competency Cybercrime in Central Asia: Phase II”. The new project builds frameworks and training strategies on cybercrime upon the achievements of the first phase and expands the and electronic evidence; Tashkent, Uzbekistan OSCE’s assistance to several new areas to address the pri- (5–6 December 2024) mary gaps identified during the implementation of the first project from 2020 to 2024. TNTD/SPMU organized a regional workshop for law enforce- ment representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajik- Training course “OSINT and Online Investigations: istan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, focusing on developing Introductory Level” for law enforcement competency frameworks and training strategies on cyber- representatives from South-Eastern Europe; online crime and electronic evidence for law enforcement practi- (7–31 October 2024) tioners. These two strategic areas will serve as the founda- tion for further OSCE activities under the cybercrime project’s TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with the OSCE field operations pillar on education. in South-Eastern Europe, delivered the introductory OSINT training course online to law enforcement representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Illicit drugs and chemical Macedonia and Serbia. The training course consisted of an precursors e-learning element (in ten modules) hosted on the OSCE e-learning platform, and six recorded webinars that took place over the month of October. To successfully pass the Intersessional meeting of the Commission on course, participants had to complete the e-learning mod- Narcotic Drugs; Vienna, Austria (2 February 2024) ules, watch the recorded webinars, successfully pass four knowledge-check quizzes and a final post-training test, and TNTD/SPMU participated as an observer in an intersessional complete three practical assignments. meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The themat- ic discussions, organized in accordance with the multi-year Training course “OSINT and Online Investigations: workplan adopted by the Commission in 2019, focused on Introductory Level” for the Border Service of the scheduling recommendations of the International Narcotics National Security Committee of Kazakhstan; Astana, Control Board and a presentation of the organizational ar- Kazakhstan (11–15 November 2024) rangements for the high-level segment of the 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, subsequently held in TNTD/SPMU supported the OSCE Programme Office in As- Vienna on 14 and 15 March 2024. tana in delivering the introductory OSINT training course to representatives of the Border Service of the National Security 67th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Committee of Kazakhstan. TNTD provided the course mate- Drugs, and bilateral talks; Vienna, Austria rials and one staff member to serve as the trainer. (14–22 March 2024)

TNTD/SPMU attended the 67th Session of the UN Commis- sion on Narcotic Drugs. During the high-level segment on 14 and 15 March, TNTD made a statement underlining the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security and the added value of the work being done by its 12 field operations in the

22  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

fight against trafficking in drugs and precursors. During the criminal activities, including human and firearms trafficking. Session’s regular segment from 18 to 22 March, TNTD made TNTD emphasized the need to strengthen regional co-op- a statement on interagency co-operation in the fight against eration between law enforcement agencies, and contributed the world drug problem. In addition, two written contribu- insights on challenges related to border management in the tions from TNTD and OCEEA were published online. The first region. focused on the links between drug trafficking, corruption and other forms of organized crime, the second, on confiscating Regional workshop on preventing drug and new proceeds of crime connected to money laundering resulting psychoactive substance use among youth in Central from drug trafficking. Asia; Dushanbe, Tajikistan (2–3 October 2024)

Meeting of the Paris Pact Initiative’s expert working TNTD/SPMU, in collaboration with the Programme Office group on cross-border co-operation in support of in Dushanbe and the European Action against Drugs and Pillar I of the Vienna Declaration; Vienna, Austria Organised Crime, organized a workshop on preventing (17–18 April 2024) drug and new psychoactive substance use among youth in Central Asia. The participants included law enforcement of- TNTD/SPMU hosted a meeting of the Paris Pact Initiative’s ficials and healthcare professionals, who discussed current expert working group focused on strengthening and imple- challenges, shared good practices and explored preventive menting regional initiatives to combat illicit trafficking in opi- measures. Key topics included international co-operation in ates originating in Afghanistan. The meeting was opened by drug monitoring and early warning systems, risk factors relat- the OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational ed to drug supplies, and the impact on youth. Threats and the Director of the UNODC Division of Policy Analysis and Public Affairs. The TNT Co-ordinator empha- sized the OSCE’s ongoing work with its Central Asian partic- Youth crime and drug use ipating States to address the security impact of the situation prevention in Afghanistan. This includes a cross-dimensional OSCE pro- ject, implemented in close co-ordination with UNODC, which focuses on preventing youth crime and drug use through Study visit on youth crime prevention for criminal education on legality, and on awareness-raising campaigns justice practitioners from Albania and Tajikistan; addressing the threats of organized crime and corruption. Düsseldorf, Germany (24 January 2025)

Commemorative event “Evidence to Impact – TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA organized a study visit for a dele- Powering Effective Drug Policy with Data Collection gation of representatives of law enforcement agencies from and Research”; Vienna, Austria (26 June 2024) Albania and Tajikistan to “Kurve Kriegen”, the youth crime prevention initiative of the Ministry of the Interior of North TNTD/SPMU participated in the event “Evidence to Impact” Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The visit allowed practitioners organized by the Chair of the 67th Session of the Commis- from Albania and Tajikistan to learn about good practices to sion on Narcotic Drugs to mark the United Nations Interna- promote a culture of lawfulness and integrity among youth, tional Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. During and how to prevent at-risk youth from becoming involved in the event, TNTD made a statement emphasizing the impor- illegal activities, especially by strengthening early identifica- tance of data collection and research in formulating effective tion and prevention. drug policies. The event launched the UNODC 2024 World Drug Report, which highlights global trends and in-depth Workshop on youth crime prevention awareness- analyses of drug issues around the world. TNTD reaffirmed raising using social media; Dushanbe, Tajikistan the OSCE’s commitment to supporting the UNODC and (23–24 April 2024) enhancing international co-operation to tackle drug-related challenges. TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in co-operation with the Pro- gramme Office in Dushanbe, held multi-stakeholder work- UNODC expert working group meeting on mapping shops with youth, influencers and governmental practitioners criminal networks involved in drug trafficking along to discuss social media as a means for raising young peo- the Balkan Route 2.0; online (22–24 September 2024) ple’s resilience to involvement in crime. During the workshop, participants discussed youth crime trends and challenges, TNTD/SPMU participated in the above expert working group as well as the opportunities social media can offer to increase meeting at the invitation of UNODC. The discussions ex- resilience among young people. Other topics included target plored drug trafficking routes, methods and links to other audiences, styles, effective key messages, and the platforms

23 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

that can be used for awareness-raising and youth crime pre- Guest lecture for OSCE Academy students on youth vention. A cross-cutting theme at the workshop was how to crime prevention; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan use social media to effectively engage youth and their voices (30 September 2024) to promote a culture of integrity. TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in co-operation with the OSCE Multi-stakeholder workshop on youth crime Academy, organized a guest lecture on youth crime preven- prevention; Tirana, Albania (7–8 May 2024) tion, focusing on the root causes of criminal and corrupt be- haviour. The event gathered students from Central Asia and TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA gathered criminal justice practi- Afghanistan enrolled in the OSCE Academy’s master’s pro- tioners and representatives of social services, municipalities grammes in human rights and sustainability, politics and se- and civil society to discuss how to strengthen interagency curity, as well as its bachelor programme in economics. The co-operation on youth crime prevention. Participants dis- lecture enabled the attendees to explore international good cussed risk factors for youth recruitment into crime, how practices for preventing at-risk youth from engaging in crim- to effectively identify and prioritize such cases, and how to inal activities, with a focus on early intervention and multi- strengthen multi-stakeholder co-operation to address under- -stakeholder co-operation and support. Also included were lying root causes of youth criminality. insights from “Kurve Kriegen”, the youth crime prevention initiative of the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-West- Side event on youth crime prevention on the margins phalia, Germany. of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; Vienna, Austria (13 May 2024) Multi-stakeholder workshop on youth crime prevention; Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan (1–3 October 2024) TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, jointly with the Permanent Mis- sions of Albania, Germany, Italy and Kyrgyzstan to the OSCE, TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with OCEEA, conducted a organized the above side event on how to effectively promote workshop on youth crime prevention aimed at enhancing youth engagement in prevention as part of a whole-of-soci- participants’ understanding of effective collaboration be- ety response to youth crime, drawing on the OSCE’s experi- tween agencies to prevent at-risk young women and men ence in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia. from becoming involved in criminal activities. The event gath- ered participants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the South-Eastern Europe Youth Dialogue Forum on Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration, including law youth crime prevention; Durres, Albania enforcement and social services practitioners, and offered (21–24 May 2024) an opportunity to discuss real-life youth crime cases, assess current strategies, and develop new approaches to address TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA and the OSCE Presence in Alba- the root causes of youth crime. nia held the South-Eastern Europe Youth Dialogue Forum, gathering young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovi- Expert webinar “Fighting Transnational Organized na, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. It provided a Crime: The Role of Gender-sensitive Prevention and platform for young people to discuss the threat of organized Exit Programmes”; online (15 November 2024) crime and corruption among their peers across the region, and empowered them to develop concrete policy recom- TNTD/SPMU hosted a webinar on the occasion of the first mendations on how to effectively address and prevent these International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All security challenges. Forms of Transnational Organized Crime. The webinar high- lighted the need to understand the complexity and duality of Multi-stakeholder workshop on youth crime women’s roles in organized crime as both victims and ac- prevention; Chișinău, Moldova (25–26 June 2024) tive agents. It emphasized the importance of gender-sensi- tive approaches to prevention and exit strategies. The event TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA organized a multi-stakeholder brought together policymakers, law enforcement and crimi- workshop to discuss current challenges and needs related nal justice practitioners, as well as representatives of CSOs to strengthening youth crime prevention efforts in Moldova. and academia from across the OSCE area and beyond. It in- Participants also examined international good practices on cluded speakers from government institutions and research enhancing multi-stakeholder engagement to effectively pre- institutes from Albania, Germany, Serbia and Sweden, and vent at-risk young people from becoming involved in illicit ac- also featured insights from the experience of a Canadian tivities. The event further explored ways to establish effective woman who is an organized crime survivor. The speakers youth crime prevention models that support early identifica- discussed the current context of women’s involvement in tion and prioritization of at-risk youth. organized crime, the consequences of failing to recognize

24  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

their roles, and the challenges to delivering gender-inclusive laid the foundation for law enforcement and social services prevention and exit programmes. to implement a one-year pilot youth crime prevention pro- gramme in Kamza municipality. Training course for police officers and social workers on youth crime prevention; Tirana, Albania Presentation of the preliminary findings of the TNTD- (2–5 December 2024) OCEEA report “From Risk to Resilience: The Role of Financial Literacy in Youth Crime Prevention”; online TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA, in co-operation with the OSCE (23 December 2024) Presence in Albania, organized a training session to support the launch and implementation of a pilot youth crime preven- TNTD/SPMU and OCEEA released the preliminary findings of tion programme in Kamza municipality, Albania. The training a new research paper that assesses an underexplored area 8

course brought together police officers and social workers of organized crime. It finds that criminal groups strategically from Kamza municipality and Tirana to strengthen their ability target and recruit young people under the age of criminal to identify youth at risk of recruitment into crime, prioritize liability as a means to evade prosecution. It also addresses youth crime cases effectively, and address the root causes how a lack of financial literacy can create or exacerbate the of youth criminality through strengthened co-operation be- vulnerabilities that make young people more susceptible to tween police and social services. The sessions included case involvement in criminality, and examines how financial literacy studies and practical exercises on preventing the escalation can strengthen the resistance of young people to recruitment of criminal behaviour among young offenders. The course into organized crime.

8 OSCE 2024, From risk to resilience: The role of financial literacy in youth crime prevention – Preliminary findings [webpage], accessible at https://www.osce.org/ files/f/documents/d/c/584598.pdf

25 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

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

Spotlight on ▶ Regional workshop “Protecting soft targets from terrorist attacks”; Astana, Kazakhstan (27–28 May 2024)

All citizens in every OSCE participating State share a common experience: they spend a great deal of time in public spaces, including schools, houses of worship, bazaars, shopping malls, concert venues and the like. These are places where people learn, pray, eat, shop, relax and pass time with loved ones. They play a key role in community building. It is likely for these reasons that terrorists and violent extremists attack public spaces, seeking to strike a sense of fear and insecurity in the general public.

Since public spaces often lack access controls or other security measures, attacks on such “soft targets” have become an increasingly common modus operandi for violent actors across the ideological spectrum. Better protection of soft targets while retaining their open character is an ongoing challenge for all OSCE participating States. As noted by Irfan Saeed, former Head of the OSCE Action against Terrorism Unit, “we have seen attacks on students while they study, worshippers while they pray, fans while they attend a sporting event and commuters while they make their way to work during rush hour.”

Ž Regional workshop on “Protecting soft targets from terrorist attacks” (OSCE)

26  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

As the first of its kind, the regional workshop “Protecting soft targets from terrorist attacks” brought together over fifty security and counter-terrorism professionals from across Central Asia and beyond to discuss measures and methods to enhance the protection of soft targets from terrorist threats, while protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. Thematic sessions involved expert presentations by officials from the Czech Republic, France, Germany, and the United States, as well as from the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Centre for Sport Security, Strong Cities Network, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Why did such a diverse group of experts participate in this workshop? Because there is no one-size- fits-all solution for protecting soft targets from terrorist attacks. Instead, each participating State, together with each community therein, must determine an approach that best aligns with local customs, laws and their communities’ needs. The event provided an opportunity for key stakeholders from across the region and the OSCE area to compare notes, experiences and perspectives, all in pursuit of making their communities safer and more secure.

A public report of the event is available in English and Russian9. Project PROTECT is an ExB initiative of the OSCE’s Action against Terrorism Unit. It is funded by the Governments of Germany and the United States.

Counter-terrorism activities Open briefing of the UN Security Council Counter- UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee visit to Terrorism Committee; New York, United States Montenegro; Podgorica, Montenegro (28 February 2024) (18–22 March 2024)

At the invitation of the UN Security Council (UNSC) Coun- TNTD/ATU contributed to an assessment visit to Montene- ter-Terrorism Committee, the OSCE Co-ordinator of Activ- gro at the invitation of the UN Counter-Terrorism Commit- ities to Address Transnational Threats delivered remarks tee’s Executive Directorate (UNCTED). The visit assessed the during the second segment of the open briefing, which was implementation of relevant UNSC resolutions and other in- dedicated to the activities of the UN and other international ternational counter-terrorism commitments by Montenegro, and regional organizations in the area of providing techni- providing recommendations for areas of improvement, as cal assistance to South-East European States in countering well as noting good practices. It also gave the OSCE repre- terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism. The sentative an opportunity to assess current and future needs Co-ordinator also held several bilateral meetings with various of technical assistance, such as in the area of countering ter- UN agencies on the margins of the meeting. rorism financing, that could be tailored to national needs, and to identify avenues for continued TNTD support in collabora- tion with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

9 OSCE 2024, 2024 Central Asia Soft Targets Workshop Report, accessible at https://www.osce.org/secretariat/575686

27 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

OSCE Scholarship for Peace Programme; online High-Level Conference “Strengthening International (13 June 2024) Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and Building Agile Border Security Mechanisms – The Kuwait Phase of TNTD/ATU facilitated a session for the Scholarship for Peace the Dushanbe Process”; Kuwait City, Kuwait Programme organized by the OSCE’s CPC. During the ses- (4–5 November 2024) sion, participants were introduced to the developing chal- lenges of AI being used in connection with terrorism and vi- TNTD/ATU was invited to attend and deliver keynote remarks olent extremism. Means for responding to these challenges at the high-level opening session of the above conference, using investigative tools that build on AI were discussed, as which was co-organized by Kuwait, Tajikistan and UNOCT. well as effective online responses to hate and incitement to In her remarks, the Co-ordinator underscored the front- violence as part of related prevention efforts. runner role of the OSCE in supporting Central Asia’s border security through specialized training for national institutions Launch of the European Union Knowledge Hub on and by fostering inclusive regional security dialogue through the Prevention of Radicalisation; Brussels, Belgium the OSCE Border Management Staff College based in Du- (17 June 2024) shanbe, Tajikistan. The Co-ordinator also emphasized that effective multilateralism leads, inter alia, to open trade and TNTD/ATU participated in the high-level conference on the economic connectivity, while protecting lawful freedom of EU Knowledge Hub on the Prevention of Radicalisation. movement. During the conference, the Co-ordinator of Activities to Ad- dress Transnational Threats highlighted how TNTD/ATU was already implementing an innovative agenda regarding violent Preventing and countering extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism through violent extremism and several thematic projects, as well as the importance of sup- porting South-Eastern European participating States in their radicalization that lead to ongoing reform path. Convened by the EU Commissioner terrorism (P/CVERLT) for Home Affairs, the EU Knowledge Hub on the Prevention of Radicalisation brings together practitioners, policymakers Meeting of the Council of Europe (CoE) working and researchers working on terrorism prevention across Eu- group on the “Guidelines on Strategies for the rope as well as in priority third countries. The Hub will help EU Prosecution of Violent Extremism Conducive to Member States and priority third countries to develop and Terrorism”; Strasbourg, France (30–31 January 2024) implement policies and strategies on the prevention of radi- calisation based on shared knowledge and expertise. At the invitation of the CoE’s Committee on Counter-Terror- ism (CDCT), TNTD/ATU took part in the first meeting of the Side event on the margins of UN General Assembly working group developing the “Guidelines on Strategies for (UNGA) High-Level Week on the effective the Prosecution of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terror- rehabilitation and reintegration of foreign terrorist ism”. The event brought together prosecutors and repre- fighters and associated family members; New York, sentatives of international organizations with the objective to United States (24 September 2024) discuss and agree on the substantive issues to be covered by the guidelines. TNTD/ATU, in conjunction with the Government of Alba- nia and the Global Community Engagement and Resil- Workshop “Co-operation of Law Enforcement and ience Fund, co-organized a side event at the 2024 UNGA Civil Society to Prevent Violent Extremism – Lessons High-Level Week titled “Effective Rehabilitation and Reinte- Learned in Protecting Children and Engaging gration of People Returning from Northeast Syria”. The event Women”; Almaty, Kazakhstan (14–16 February 2024) was designed to highlight the set of distinct challenges and solutions associated with such returnees and associated At the invitation of the EU-funded Law Enforcement in Cen- women and children. It raised awareness of lessons learned tral Asia project “Co-operation of Law Enforcement and Civil and good practices within the OSCE area, with a particular Society to Prevent Violent Extremism – Lessons Learned in focus on the work being done by national institutions and Protecting Children and Engaging Women”, TNTD/ATU con- partners in Albania. tributed to a workshop on the topic of law enforcement and civil society co-operation in P/CVERLT. TNTD/ATU delivered a session on whole-of-society and community policing ap- proaches to P/CVERLT to a multi-stakeholder audience from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The event included a focus on

28  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

engaging and empowering women in P/CVERLT, protecting Expert seminar “Challenging Extremism and Hatred children and youth, trust-building, and preventing online rad- in Schools”; Forest Row, East Sussex, United icalization to violence. Kingdom (26–27 March 2024)

Meetings of the networks for women professionals At the invitation of the UK Commission on Countering Ex- in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia working tremism and the Department of Education, TNTD/ATU con- on P/CVERLT; online (27 & 28 February 2024) tributed to the seminar “Challenging Extremism and Hatred in Schools” with the presentation “Media and Information TNTD/ATU, together with the Women and Men Innovating Literacy Education Approaches to Preventing Violent Ex- and Networking for Gender Equality (WIN) project of OSCE tremism at the Organization for Security and Co-operation Secretariat’s Programme for Gender Issues, conducted the in Europe”. The event was attended by international experts, first of a series of meetings with the networks for women pro- as well as UK practitioners from various professional sectors. fessionals in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia working on P/CVERLT. By facilitating regular online meetings every Meetings of the networks for women professionals two months as well as in-person gatherings, TNTD/ATU is in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia working creating a sustainable platform for knowledge exchange, col- on P/CVERLT; online (16 & 17 April; laboration and capacity-building among women profession- 19 & 26 June 2024) als in this crucial security domain. The February meetings focused on the year’s planning, with the Central Asia meet- TNTD/ATU, together with the OSCE’s WIN project, conduct- ing also discussing investigations and prosecutions of foreign ed further meetings with the networks for women profession- terrorist fighters (FTFs) based on input from a representative als in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia working on P/ of the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for CVERLT. These meetings focused on AI and P/CVERLT, Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL. mental health and prevention of burnout for P/CVERLT pro- fessionals, as well as P/CVERLT and gender in educational Training course “Defence against Terrorism”; settings. Ankara, Türkiye (5 March 2024) Regional conference “Addressing the Prevailing At the invitation of Türkiye’s Centre of Excellence – Defence Digital Information Disorder: Countering the Use of against Terrorism institution, TNTD/ATU delivered a session the Internet by Terrorists and Violent Extremists”; on the role of AI in terrorism and counter-terrorism during a Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (23–24 April 2024) course titled “Defence against Terrorism”. The participants included counter-terrorism specialists from military and law In co-operation with the National Counter-Terrorism Coun- enforcement, including border officials and police, as well as cil of Mongolia, TNTD/ATU organized an expert-level con- judiciary and international experts, including from the UN, EU ference for the host country and countries in Central Asia and the African Union. to discuss challenges related to the use of the internet for terrorist purposes, specifically VERLT, stemming from the Expert seminar “Artificial Intelligence in the Context “digital information disorder”—that is, misinformation, disin- of P/CVERLT: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities”; formation and malign information in the digital realm. With The Hague, the Netherlands (14 March 2024) more than 70 participants, the event aimed at formulating effective approaches to P/CVERLT in the digital space in an In co-operation with the RFoM and the International Cen- inclusive, gender-sensitive and human rights-based manner, tre for Counter-Terrorism, TNTD/ATU organized an expert and focused regional policy recommendations on enhancing seminar on the challenges and opportunities associated media and information literacy in the context of P/CVERLT. In with the use of AI in the context of P/CVERLT. Experts also the framework of the conference, TNTD/ATU, together with discussed relevant topics for an upcoming OSCE webinar the RFoM, held a side event titled “Addressing the Linkag- series related to P/CVERLT in connection with AI and other es between Violent Misogyny and Violent Extremism Online emerging technologies. The outcomes of the seminar have while Protecting Fundamental Freedoms”. helped inform the development of the e-learning course “Using OSINT Tools to Enhance Media and Information Lit- eracy Skills within Non-Law Enforcement Actors in the Con- text of P/CVERLT”.

29 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Multi-stakeholder training course “Media and INDEED final event and 2nd International Policy Information Literacy in the Context of Preventing and Practitioners Forum “Advancing Evidence- Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead Based Policy, Practice and Evaluation in P/CVE, to Terrorism: Addressing Challenges in the Digital De-radicalisation and Crime Prevention Fields & ‘Information Disorder’”; Tirana, Albania Shaping the Future”; Warsaw, Poland (5–6 June 2024) (11–13 September 2024)

In co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, TNTD/ TNTD/ATU participated in the above conference, which was ATU organized the above training course for participants the final event of the EU-funded INDEED project10, which aims representing government and non-government stakehold- to use evidence-based approaches to strengthen first-line ers, including the security sector, media regulatory agencies, practitioners’ and policymakers’ knowledge, capabilities and educators, civil society and social workers. skills for designing, planning, implementing and evaluating, in an effective and proven manner, initiatives on preventing Webinar series “Facing Division: Preventing and violent extremism (PVE), countering violent extremism (CVE) Countering Violent Extremist and Terrorist Content and de-radicalization. Such approaches include policies and Online Human Rights-Based, Age- and Gender- strategies, long-term programmes, short-term actions and Sensitive Approaches”; online (throughout 2024) ad hoc interventions. TNTD/ATU gave two presentations, including one titled “Addressing the Evolving Landscape of The above webinar series is part of TNTD/ATU’s efforts to Radicalization and Violent Extremism in Europe”. address radicalization to violence in the online space and the role of P/CVERLT stakeholders. It is aimed at an expert-level Meetings of the networks for women professionals audience from international organizations, civil society and in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia working specialized bodies relevant to the respective topics. on P/CVERLT; online (18 & 19 September 2024)

ƒ On 11 July, TNTD/ATU organized the first expert-level TNTD/ATU, together with the OSCE’s WIN project, conduct- webinar in the series, titled “Addressing Violent Extrem- ed two respective meetings with the networks for women ism in the Online Space: Human Rights-Based Ap- professionals in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia proaches to the Use of Artificial Intelligence by Law En- working on P/CVERLT to plan the in-person meeting held forcement and Communities”. The webinar took stock of mid-October in Vienna, Austria. existing examples of good practices that leverage digital technologies in P/CVERLT efforts, and identified oppor- Second in-person meeting of women professionals tunities for P/CVERLT stakeholders to engage proactively in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia working with technologies, including AI, in their work to address on P/CVERLT; Vienna, Austria (17–18 October 2024) violent extremist and terrorist content in the online space. Three expert speakers delivered remarks, followed by a TNTD/ATU, together with the OSCE’s WIN project, hosted question-and-answer session. Eighty persons attended the above meeting. Established in February 2023, the two the webinar. regional networks comprise women professionals from di- verse sectors, including government agencies, civil society, ƒ On 12 September, TNTD/ATU organized the second ex- academia, media and OSCE field operations. The in-person pert-level webinar in the series, titled “‘Awful but Lawful’ meeting reaffirmed the OSCE’s commitment to enhancing – Addressing Hateful Content in the Digital Space from the capacity of women professionals in the critical field of P/ the Perspective of Preventing Online Violent Extremism CVERLT. and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism”. The webinar addressed challenges related to the moderation of and Multi-stakeholder training course on addressing exposure to borderline content in the context of VERLT. violent extremism online through increased gender The webinar aimed to address issues related to ensur- awareness; Skopje, North Macedonia ing freedom of expression and safeguarding a healthy (7–8 November 2024) online information environment in the context of content moderation guidelines and regulations, as well as offline TNTD/ATU, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Skop- engagement aimed at P/CVERLT. Four expert speakers, je, organized a training course on addressing challenges including an adviser from the Office of the OSCE RFoM, related to “digital information disorder” in the context of delivered remarks followed by a question and answer session. Sixty-five persons attended the webinar. 10 More information is available here: https://www.indeedproject.eu/

30  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

P/CVERLT. The event focused on addressing challenges Training course on media and information literacy in the digital landscape as they relate to violent extremism skills in P/CVERLT; Tashkent, Uzbekistan and violent misogyny. The participants discussed the links (17–18 December 2024) between gender, violent misogyny and violent extremism on- line, with the aim to advance comprehensive approaches to TNTD/ATU and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbeki- P/CVERLT. stan held the above training course aimed to address the challenges posed by the “digital information disorder”, as Policy round table “Advancing Justice Responses well as combating the misuse of the internet for violent ex- for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Linked to tremist purposes while upholding fundamental human rights, Terrorism” at the International Institute for Justice including freedom of expression. Participants included 24 and the Rule of Law; Valetta, Malta policymakers, officials from the security and education sec- (18 November 2024) tors, representatives of CSOs and media professionals.

At the invitation of the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law to the above round table, TNTD/ATU pre- Countering the financing of sented its work on P/CVERLT as part of the session “Closing terrorism the Justice Gap: Universal Mechanisms and Regional Pow- erhouses Uniting for Accountability”. Introductory meeting on the training programme Training sessions and talk shows on P/CVERLT “Countering the Financing of Terrorism”; Podgorica, for journalists, bloggers and civil society Montenegro (8 February 2024) representatives; Karshi, Namangan and Fergana, Uzbekistan (October & November 2024) At this meeting, TNTD/ATU introduced its comprehensive training programme “Countering the Financing of Terrorism” The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-opera- to officials from all relevant agencies in Montenegro. A de- tion with the NGO “In-Service Training Centre for Journalists tailed presentation delivered by TNTD explained the planned of Uzbekistan” and with support from TNTD/ATU, organized technical assistance, as well as the expected benefits for the three training seminars on P/CVERLT, taking place on: national agencies involved. Benefits include improved inter- agency co-operation and enhanced methodologies for con- ƒ 3–4 October 2024 in Karshi; ducting financial investigations in counter-terrorism cases. ƒ 19–20 November 2024 in Namangan; These will be aligned with international commitments and ƒ 21–22 November 2024 in Fergana. standards, including human rights considerations. An agree- ment was reached on the forthcoming steps for implement- The seminars, attended by local journalists, bloggers and ing the training programme. civil society representatives, aimed to raise the level of pro- fessionalism in preventing violent extremism and terrorism, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) working group as well as to develop skills in using new multimedia technol- and plenary meeting; Paris, France ogies and fact-checking tools. (19–23 February 2024)

Workshop “The Use of AI in P/CVERLT”; Tashkent, TNTD/ATU and OCEEA contributed to the FATF working Uzbekistan (16 December 2024) group and plenary meetings by providing input regarding their work on anti-money laundering and countering the fi- TNTD/ATU, in co-operation with Meta, conducted the nancing of terrorism (AML/CTF). Delegates from over two above-mentioned workshop, which brought togeth- hundred jurisdictions and observers from international organ- er 12 experts and civil society representatives to ex- izations participated in the discussions. plore the opportunities and challenges of using AI in P/CVERLT, including the need for ethical frameworks, unbiased algorithms and fair outcomes.

31 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Training course “Financial Disruption Strategies First module of a training programme on CFT; in Counter-Terrorism Efforts”; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo11 Budva, Montenegro (4–6 June 2024) (16–18 April 2024) TNTD/ATU, jointly with UNODC, organized the first module With the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and in of a training programme on CFT. The module was led by a partnership with UNODC, TNTD/ATU conducted a training team of international experts and five national trainers who course in Pejë/Peć aimed at enhancing the capacities of local had been prepared in an OSCE-UNODC ToT programme. entities in countering the financing of terrorism (CFT). During Participants included 16 experts (5 women, 11 men) from the course, participants explored various techniques, includ- the Montenegro Customs Administration, National Security ing functional and vulnerability analysis and auditing aimed Agency, Tax Administration, and the Police Directorate’s Sec- at disrupting terrorist networks by examining their “business tor for the Fight against Crime and Financial Intelligence Unit. model”. By applying these methods to hypothetical local During the course, participants worked through country- and scenarios, interagency teams developed effective financial region-specific scenarios, focusing on international, region- disruption strategies. In preparation for this training course, al and national threats, the financial requirements of terrorist the local trainers presented anticipated impacts of the pro- organizations, sources of financial information, and related gramme on CFT to their agencies’ senior management. money flows. Participants also assessed the risks associated with informal value transfer systems (such as Hawala) and Launch of training programme on countering the virtual assets. financing of terrorism (CFT) for Montenegro; Vienna, Austria (7–9 May 2024) Train-the-trainers course on CFT; Vienna, Austria (10–12 September 2024) In collaboration with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and UNODC, TNTD/ATU delivered a ToT course in Vienna aimed TNTD/ATU, in collaboration with the OSCE Mission to Mon- at equipping experts from Montenegro with skills and knowl- tenegro and UNODC, delivered a ToT course, bringing to- edge on CFT, marking the start of a comprehensive training gether trainers from key government agencies of Montene- initiative for this participating State. Trainers from key Monte- gro involved in CFT. The course explored critical aspects of negrin governmental agencies acquainted themselves with intelligence work, including how information is collected and the international, regional and national threat landscapes, the processed (the intelligence cycle), how to rate its reliability, terrorist funding cycle, financial needs of terrorist organiza- and how to share information with others. Guided by interna- tions, and related information. With the guidance of interna- tional experts, national trainers customized the course mate- tional experts, they tailored course material and developed rials and practical exercises to specifically suit the context of practical exercises to fit Montenegro’s context. Montenegro.

Briefing: “UNSCR Sanctions for Banking and Law Course on co-operation with the private sector in Enforcement Officials”; Sarajevo, Bosnia and the context of CFT; Durres, Albania Herzegovina (9–10 May 2024) (24–26 September 2024)

TNTD/ATU, jointly with UNODC, delivered an awareness- TNTD/ATU, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Al- -raising briefing focused on further enhancing the capacity of bania, piloted a course aimed at further enhancing co-oper- Bosnia and Herzegovina to combat the financing of terror- ation between the public sector and financial institutions to ism. The workshop was organized in partnership with Bos- counter the financing of terrorism. The course gathered rep- nia and Herzegovina’s Ministry of Security of and the OSCE resentatives of governmental agencies, civil society, banks Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The initiative gathered and fintech companies, with the aim of strengthening part- representatives of the public and private sectors for a com- nerships to detect and disrupt terrorist financing networks. prehensive discussion on the implementation of UN Security Through group discussions and case studies, participants Council Resolutions 1267 and 1373. Participants explored explored key topics such as regulatory frameworks, forms the intricacies of the domestic application of sanctions of co-operation, and the human rights implications of such measures, gaining detailed insights into the mechanisms to partnerships. They also reviewed existing forms of co-opera- identify, nominate and designate terrorist organizations under tion in Albania and identified possible ways to enhance them the UN sanctions regime. further.

11 All references to Kosovo in this text, whether to the territory, institutions or pop- ulation, should be understood as being in full compliance UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

32  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Training course on CFT; Bar, Montenegro (15–17 with experience in integrating AI into both online and offline October 2024) P/CVE work. TNTD/ATU was invited to share its expertise and experience on the potential use of AI tools within the TNTD/ATU, in collaboration with the OSCE Mission to context of counter-terrorism, and to moderate a session on Montenegro and UNODC, delivered a training course for the ethical and legal boundaries of using AI in the context of Montenegrin officials on using financial intelligence to ef- P/CVE. fectively cut off terrorism financing channels. The sessions were facilitated by a team of five national trainers, pre- Needs assessment mission on requesting electronic viously trained by the OSCE, and supported by interna- evidence across borders for investigating online tional experts, who presented investigative methods for criminal matters, including terrorism; Tashkent, collecting, managing and using financial intelligence in Uzbekistan (22–24 July 2024) counter-terrorism efforts. The course convened represent- atives of the Montenegro Special State Prosecutor’s Of- TNTD/ATU, jointly with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator fice, the Police Directorate’s Financial Intelligence Unit and in Uzbekistan, facilitated a needs assessment mission to Organized Crime Department, and the Tax and Customs Uzbekistan, focusing on requesting electronic evidence Administrations, providing them with valuable knowledge across borders for investigating online criminal matters, in- on proactive and reactive analytical techniques, as well as cluding terrorism. A key component of the mission was an tools for analysing cryptocurrency transactions. expert-level meeting held on 23 July. The meeting brought together representatives of Uzbekistan’s parliament, law en- “Empowering Women Leaders: Mainstreaming forcement, and judiciary, as well as members of academia Gender Perspectives in AML/CFT”; Vienna, Austria and international organizations. The participants discussed (5–7 November 2024) the legal and regulatory aspects of electronic evidence, fo- cusing on the challenges and opportunities in national and At the invitation of UNODC, TNTD/ATU participated in the international contexts. The expert-level meeting supported above event, which brought together around 55 representa- ongoing national efforts to harmonize Uzbekistan’s regulatory tives of law enforcement agencies, financial intelligence units, frameworks related to electronic evidence, enhance scientific prosecuting authorities, ministries of finance and other rel- research on digital forensics being conducted by the Law evant government agencies active in AML/CFT, as well as Enforcement Academy of Uzbekistan, and introduce good private sector representatives, NGOs, and independent and international practices for requesting electronic evidence international gender experts, including from UN Women. The from internet service providers based in other jurisdictions in event aimed to identify challenges, share good practices and a manner compliant with human rights standards and inter- gather lessons learned on practical solutions in response to national law. the evolving nature of financial crime, with a focus on ad- dressing gender-specific risks. Preparatory meeting for a table-top exercise on preventing and countering the use of the internet for terrorist purposes; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Countering the use of the Herzegovina (24–25 October 2024) internet for terrorist purposes TNTD/ATU, jointly with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Her- zegovina, facilitated the above preparatory meeting aimed to Expert-level workshop on leveraging AI in the tailor the exercise scenarios of the planned table-top exer- counter-terrorism context; Prague, Czech Republic cise to the local context, as well as to identify key issues to (27–28 February 2024) address and to determine which stakeholders to involve. The preparatory meeting brought together representatives from TNTD/ATU participated in a workshop organized by the law enforcement, the judiciary, other relevant national agen- Communications & Narratives Working Group of the Europe- cies and academia. an Commission’s Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) titled “Artificial Intelligence: Understanding and Opportuni- Table-top exercise on preventing and countering the ties for Practitioners on Preventing and Countering Violent use of the internet for terrorist purposes; Sarajevo, Extremism”. The main objective of the event was to obtain Bosnia and Herzegovina (18–20 November 2024) a deeper understanding of how AI can be used in positive ways in the area of preventing and countering violent extrem- TNTD/ATU, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia ism (P/CVE) and to identify practical means of doing so. The and Herzegovina, organized the above table-top exercise, meeting brought together experts and first-line practitioners which brought together participants from government agen-

33 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

cies, civil society, media outlets and international organiza- OSCE Central Asian Summer Media School on AI tions. The exercise entailed interactive, scenario-based dis- and media literacy; Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan cussions aimed at addressing online terrorist threats through (17–21 June 2024) practical, human rights-centred solutions. Facilitated by lo- cal and international experts, including representatives from By invitation of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, the ODIHR, the Office of the RFoM and Europol, the exercise OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, the OSCE Programme Office in explored strategies aligned with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Astana, and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, security objectives. Participants examined global and gen- TNTD/ATU participated in the OSCE Central Asian Summer der-sensitive good practices for countering violent extrem- Media School titled “Info Savvy: AI-Expedition and Media ism and terrorism online, while respecting fundamental rights Literacy”. The summer school aimed to strengthen the me- such as privacy and freedom of expression. dia literacy skills of its participants by utilizing AI tools and employing cutting-edge technologies for identifying misinfor- Training course on requesting electronic evidence mation, disinformation and fake news. The summer school across borders; Koshy, Kazakhstan hosted 22 young journalists and bloggers from Kazakhstan, (20–22 November 2024) Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. TNTD/ATU con- tributed to the event by delivering three practical sessions TNTD/ATU supported the OSCE Programme Office in As- demonstrating how to responsibly use OSINT methods and tana in delivering a training course on cross-border electronic AI tools to verify various types of media, including images, evidence requests for law enforcement officers and judicial audio, video and text messages, within the context of media authorities of Kazakhstan. TNTD/ATU conducted a one-day and information literacy. session on investigating online crimes, including terrorism- -related cases, using real-world examples and detailed ex- Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) ercises on drafting various types of requests, including data 2024 Global Multistakeholder Forum; Singapore preservation requests, voluntary disclosure requests, emer- (27 June 2024) gency requests, etc. The training course concluded with a discussion on needed next steps, including updating the le- TNTD/ATU attended the GIFCT’s annual high-level Global gal framework and developing SOPs to effectively request Multistakeholder Forum, which brings together social media electronic evidence from online service providers based in and tech-industry experts, civil society, government officials other jurisdictions. and practitioners to discuss emerging trends and the dynam- ics that shape online terrorist and violent extremist threats. Presentation of the outcomes of the needs The Forum provided an important opportunity for stakehold- assessment mission on requesting electronic ers to inform GIFCT’s work and activities, contributing to the evidence across borders for investigating online development and refinement of cross-platform solutions. criminal matters, including terrorism; Tashkent, Uzbekistan (3–5 December 2024) Training-of-trainers course “Human Rights and Gender-Sensitive Approaches to Investigating As part of the launch of the second set of activities of the Online Terrorist-Related Crimes”; Tashkent, Project E-VIDENCE, TNTD/ATU, in close co-operation with Uzbekistan (28–31 May 2024) the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, hosted a three-day expert-level programme in Tashkent. This phase TNTD/ATU and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbeki- of activities focused on supporting the development of SOPs stan organized the above ToT course, bringing together par- for cross-border requests of electronic evidence in criminal ticipants from Uzbekistan’s State Security Service, Academy investigations, including those related to terrorism. A central of the State Security Service, Law Enforcement Academy, component of the launch was an expert-level meeting held Ministry of Internal Affairs, Prosecutor General’s Office, Su- on 4 December 2024, which convened representatives from preme Court and Supreme School of Judges, which is part the Parliament of Uzbekistan, law enforcement bodies, the ju- of the Supreme Judicial Council involved in delivering training diciary, academia, and international organizations. The event courses for law enforcement and judicial personnel. The par- served as a platform to present and discuss the outcomes ticipants received an overview of human rights obligations, of the OSCE needs assessment mission conducted in July as well as issues that can arise when investigating and pros- 2024 under Project E-VIDENCE. Participants engaged in ecuting online terrorism-related crimes, such as dark web substantive discussions on legal and procedural challenges, use, encrypted channels, anonymous sharing portals, and and explored relevant international good practices tailored to AI, as well as digital financial transactions. The aspect of gen- Uzbekistan’s national legal and institutional context. der stereotypes was also addressed as a possible obstacle to effective investigations.

34  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Critical infrastructure and 15 March, TNTD/ATU joined a strategic counter-drone ex- vulnerable target protection ercise organized by the CTPN, INTERPOL, UNOCT, the UK National Police Chiefs Council and Metropolitan Police Ser- vice. Both events enabled TNTD/ATU to expand its network Project PROTECT national awareness-raising as well as its efforts to address new and evolving threats to workshop on vulnerable target protection from vulnerable targets, including unmanned aerial systems. terrorist attacks; Astana, Kazakhstan (27–28 March 2024) Third Parliamentary policy dialogue on the protection of religious sites, symbols and objects; TNTD/ATU, jointly with the Law Enforcement Academy un- Istanbul, Türkiye (9 May 2024) der the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan and the Programme Office in Astana, gathered participants to build a At the invitation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, common understanding of the need to protect vulnerable tar- UNOCT and the Shura Council of Qatar, TNTD/ATU present- gets from terrorist attacks in a human rights-compliant man- ed the OSCE framework for the protection of religious sites, ner, identifying good practices for dissemination and needs as well as relevant initiatives and good practices from partic- for future technical assistance under Project PROTECT. At- ipating States. The event offered an opportunity for parlia- tendees joined from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Emergency mentarians from around the world to learn about the OSCE’s Situations, Anti-Terrorism Centre, State Security Service, longstanding commitment to addressing hate crimes, in- Law Enforcement Academy, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the cluding those targeting faith-based communities, and to Office of the Mayor (akim) of Astana, and the Border Service. strengthening the protection of religious sites. Discussions ranged from risk assessment and mitigation to insider threat management, identification of infrastructure in- United Nations Global Programme on Countering terdependencies, public–private partnerships, human rights Terrorist Threats against Vulnerable Targets, and privacy considerations, and business continuity plan- in-country consultations; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan ning. The event also benefited from the participation of offi- (15–17 May 2024) cials from UNOCT and the French Government’s Agency for French Education Abroad. At the invitation of UNOCT and the OSCE Programme Of- fice in Bishkek, TNTD/ATU joined as an expert and facilitated Project PROTECT first expert advisory group consultations on the protection of vulnerable targets from meeting on the “Technical Guide on the Physical terrorist attacks. Additionally, TNTD outlined its current work Security of Critical Infrastructure from Terrorist on the protection of vulnerable targets, including activities Attacks”; online (24 April 2024) under Project PROTECT, which has several ongoing initia- tives in Central Asia. TNTD/ATU held the first online meeting of the expert advisory group, established to support the development of the forth- Project PROTECT Central Asia regional workshop coming publication “Project PROTECT Technical Guide on on the protection of soft targets from terrorist the Physical Security of Critical Infrastructure from Terrorist attacks; Astana, Kazakhstan (27–28 May 2024) Attacks”. The advisory group is comprised of governmental experts, as well as representatives from the private sector TNTD/ATU, together with the Law Enforcement Academy and international and regional organizations. At the meet- under the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan, organ- ing, members of the advisory group reviewed the proposed ized a regional workshop for participants from Central Asian structure of the Guide, offered feedback, and provided re- participating States focused specifically on the protection of sources for inclusion. public spaces and other soft targets from terrorist attacks, including schools, houses of worship, sporting events and Annual high-level conference of the Counter- tourist sites. The event facilitated a dialogue between region- Terrorism Preparedness Network (CTPN) and al and international experts, including representatives from strategic counter-drone exercise; London, United TNTD/ATU and ODIHR, on effective policies and practices in Kingdom (14–15 March 2024) this area, with case studies and national experiences shared. The event built on a regional workshop organized by TNTD/ At the invitation of the CTPN, TNTD/ATU participated in the ATU and international partners in 2022 in Tashkent, Uzbek- annual CTPN high-level conference, held on 14 March with istan, where national delegations called for regular dialogue the 2024 focus “Protecting and Preparing our Cities”. TNTD/ on the protection of soft targets. ATU presented its efforts to protect vulnerable targets across the OSCE area, including through Project PROTECT. On

35 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

12th European Union Forum on the Protection of Regional conference on critical infrastructure Public Spaces; Brussels, Belgium (4 June 2024) protection in Central Asia: “Strengthening Resilience, Enhancing Security”; Ashgabat, TNTD/ATU presented the Project PROTECT, including its Turkmenistan (22 November 2024) recent achievements and activities, at the above European Union Forum. The event allowed TNTD to co-ordinate with TNTD/ATU, together with the Government of Turkmenistan, partners working on similar matters, including in South-East- OCEEA and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, organized the ern Europe, and to increase its roster of public and private first cross-dimensional conference on enhancing the secu- sector experts. rity and resilience of critical infrastructure in Central Asia. In her opening remarks, the Co-ordinator highlighted the Project PROTECT national awareness-raising challenges faced by participating States regarding critical workshop on vulnerable target protection from infrastructure protection, as well as the responses sup- terrorist attacks; Skopje, North Macedonia ported by the OSCE through capacity-building and prac- (21–22 October 2024) tical guidance, such as the forthcoming Project PROTECT “Guide on Enhancing the Physical Security of Critical Infra- TNTD/ATU and the OSCE Mission to Skopje organized the structure from Terrorist Attacks”, planned to be published first workshop under Project PROTECT in North Macedonia. in 2025. Participants included government officials and ex- At the workshop, government and private sector represent- perts responsible for energy security, infrastructure protec- atives from North Macedonia’s Ministry of Interior, Ministry tion, counter-terrorism and climate adaptation from govern- of Defence, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mental institutions, academia, international organizations Crisis Management Centre, Intelligence Agency, Agency and the private sector. They discussed critical infrastructure for National Security and Chamber for Private Security ex- resilience, including physical security considerations, long- plored effective practices for protecting vulnerable targets term climate variability and its impact on energy security, from terrorist attacks. Included were discussions about pro- and how to enhance connectivity and international collab- cesses for identifying and prioritizing critical infrastructure, oration. The Co-ordinator also held several bilateral meet- assessing and managing risks, engaging in public–private ings on the margins of the conference. The Government of partnerships, enacting security measures, building resilience Turkmenistan also facilitated a site visit for participants to a frameworks and communicating effectively with the public Ministry of Energy facility. during emergency situations. During the workshop, a simu- lation exercise was organized in which participants worked Workshop on building city-level resilience in through several stages of a response to a terrorist attack Sarajevo to online violent narratives and offline at a hospital. The practical exercise allowed participants to violence; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina discuss multi-stakeholder co-ordination and effective inci- (26–28 November 2024) dent response practices. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre also joined the event, and provided several TNTD/ATU and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzego- technical presentations on the threat posed by unmanned vina organized a workshop for government and civil society aerial systems (drones) and ways to mitigate terrorist threats representatives in Sarajevo focused on building communi- to buildings. ty resilience against all forms of VERLT. Participants at the event discussed the ways in which VERLT manifests online Conference on critical infrastructure protection and (including through mis-, dis- and malign information) and resilience in Europe; Madrid, Spain offline (including through attacks on soft targets and public (12–14 November 2024) spaces).

TNTD/ATU participated in the above annual conference on Workshop on protecting vulnerable targets against critical infrastructure protection and resilience in Europe, terrorist attacks in the Kyrgyz Republic; online and delivered a presentation on the activities of Project (18 December 2024) PROTECT. The conference gathered government officials, technical experts, and academic and private sector stake- At the invitation of UNOCT, TNTD/ATU provided a virtu- holders in the field of infrastructure protection to discuss al presentation on its planned efforts in Kyrgyzstan. At the emerging trends and challenges. It thus served as a val- event, UNOCT and the United Nations Security Council uable forum for identifying emerging priorities for OSCE Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate pre- initiatives in this field. sented conclusions and recommendations identified in the national roadmap, which has been designed to strengthen the capabilities of Kyrgyzstan to protect vulnerable targets

36  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

against terrorist attacks. The event facilitated a strate- Strategies for the Prosecution of Violent Extremism Condu- gic-level exchange with Kyrgyzstan on further actions. In its cive to Terrorism”. The CoE Committee on Counter-Terrorism remarks, TNTD/ATU provided an overview of its efforts to began work on the guidelines in January 2024, with the sup- enhance the protection of vulnerable targets from terrorist port of the OSCE, which is a member of the related working attacks, as well as its Project PROTECT, especially regard- group. It is planned to publish the Guidelines in early 2025. ing upcoming deliverables and activities in Central Asia and Kyrgyzstan. High-level event “Effective Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees from North-Eastern Syria – Uzbekistan’s Experience”; Geneva, Switzerland Rule of law and (11 November 2024) counter-terrorism TNTD/ATU participated in the above event organized by Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, the In- Council of Europe (CoE) Committee on Counter- stitute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the Pres- Terrorism plenary and conference on the ident of Uzbekistan, and the Permanent Mission of the Re- investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences public of Uzbekistan to the UN Office in Geneva. The event committed in the context of armed conflict; aimed to demonstrate the regional experience of Central Strasbourg, France (13–15 May 2024) Asian participating States in rehabilitating and reintegrating returnees from war zones, and promote their approach to TNTD/ATU participated in a plenary meeting of the CoE’s other UN Member States. Committee on Counter-Terrorism and contributed to an international conference focused on the intersections be- Second Central Asian regional expert council tween terrorism offences and war crimes. TNTD/ATU show- meeting on the rehabilitation and reintegration of cased its training course on requesting electronic evidence returnees; Tashkent, Uzbekistan from foreign service providers (Project E-VIDENCE), and its (27 November 2024) new project on the prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegra- tion of FTFs and associated women and children. TNTD/ATU organized the above meeting jointly with the Insti- tute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President First Central Asia regional expert council meeting of Uzbekistan, as well as Uzbekistan’s State Security Service, on the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Committee on Family and Wom- Tashkent, Uzbekistan (14 May 2024) en under the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction of Uzbekistan, as well as the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in TNTD/ATU contributed to a panel titled “The Need for a Uzbekistan, UNOCT and the UN Regional Centre for Preven- Comprehensive and Tailored Whole-of-Government Ap- tive Diplomacy for Central Asia. The meeting gathered rep- proach in the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees” resentatives from Central Asian participating States, OSCE during the above CoE event. It was the inaugural meeting of executive structures, UN entities and CSOs. It focused on a new Regional Expert Council, initiated by Uzbekistan and the role of civil society, including women and youth groups, UNOCT, with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan in pursuing comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration serving as co-organizer of this first meeting. processes in Central Asia.

Meeting of the CoE working group on prosecuting violent extremism; Strasbourg, France (24–25 September 2024)

TNTD/ATU participated in the second meeting of the working group working on the draft text of the CoE’s “Guidelines on

37 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

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

Spotlight on ▶ Supporting the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (throughout 2024)

In 2024, TNTD/BSMU organized one full-training cycle (basic, advanced and ToT) for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service (SBGS), as well as five study visits. The training cycle was conducted by two forensic document experts from the Main Forensic Centre of the SBGS who had completed the 2023 TNTD/BSMU ToT. First-line document inspectors at the courses noted the importance of these training opportunities, since there is currently limited capacity for the SBGS to conduct regular training within their national service. One participant stated, “I gained important experience that allowed me to better navigate document verification procedures and strengthened my attention to detail skills. This has become useful for improving work efficiency and ensuring accuracy.” In the weeks and months after the March 2024 training, thanks to skills developed during the training, border officers reported detecting forgery of a pension certificate, partial forgery of a driver’s license, a fake vehicle registration certificate, and fake travel documents from Israel and Italy.

TNTD/BSMU supported enhanced co-operation and networking for the Main Forensic Centre of the SBGS. The study visits resulted in five new co-operation and information-sharing agreements between Ukraine and international partners, including the UK National Document Fraud Unit

Ž Detecting counterfeit, false and falsified passports (OSCE/Paweł Zacharewicz)

38  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

and the Home Office International Operations, the Spanish National Police, the Passport Service Ireland, and the Forensic Science Ireland. TNTD/BSMU also supported an Observer Membership, a speaking engagement at the Biometrics Congress in London in October 2024, participation in the European Passport Expert Group Meeting in Dublin in November 2024, as well as aiding efforts of the SBGS to join the New Technologies Working Group of the ICAO, and the European Document Experts Working Group of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes.

Ž Learning to inspect identity documents effectively (OSCE)

Detection of fraudulent documents and impostors

Development and the Border Police. The visit marked the Study visit for the promotion and exchange of good completion of a training cycle on detection of forged doc- practices and modern standards in border controls uments and impostors organized for the Border Police of and document security for Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2019 to 2024. Participants Amsterdam, the Netherlands (20–22 March 2024) also included persons who had completed the OSCE’s ToT course on this topic in December 2022. With guidance from TNTD/BSMU, in close co-operation with the OSCE Mission Dutch document experts, they further enhanced their under- to Bosnia and Herzegovina, organized a visit to the Royal standing of latest forgery trends, the basics of chip technol- Netherlands Marechaussee for representatives from Bosnia ogy, and new security features incorporated into travel doc- and Herzegovina’s Agency for Education and Professional uments. The participants also visited Amsterdam Schiphol

39 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Airport, one of Europe’s largest and busiest airports, to conduct an additional training activity on the technical com- observe first-hand good practices in managing document ponents of travel documents, in particular biometric passport checks of passengers. chips, as well as further courses on detecting forged docu- ments. Study visit for Ukraine’s SBGS to the UK Border Force; London, United Kingdom (7–10 May 2024) Training-of-trainers course on the identification of forged documents and impostors for Ukraine’s TNTD/BSMU, with support of the UK Delegation to the SBGS; Warsaw, Poland (19–23 August 2024) OSCE, facilitated a study visit for Ukraine’s SBGS to the UK Border Force to London, United Kingdom. The aim of the TNTD/BSMU delivered a ToT course for border guards from visit was to support the exchange of good practices and Ukraine’s SBGS to develop a new cohort of trainers to con- modern standards with the UK Home Office, UK Border duct training on identifying forged documents and impostors Force, and HM Passport Office in the area of border controls within their national service. The hands-on training course and document security, with a focus on detecting forged was delivered by two experts from the Main Forensic Centre documents and impostors. In addition, avenues for future of the SBGS. co-operation with the United Kingdom were explored. A visit to London Gatwick Airport was organized to share practices Basic and advanced training courses on the in implementing automated border control e-gates and other identification of forged documents and impostors; technology at airports. The visit finalized the 2024 training Chișinău, Moldova (2–13 September 2024) cycle for this cohort from the SBGS. As a result of the study visit, representatives of Ukraine’s Main Forensic Centre es- TNTD/BSMU, in partnership with the Spanish National Po- tablished new co-operation with their UK counterparts and lice, delivered basic and advanced training courses on the initiated enhanced information-sharing on travel document identification of forged documents and impostors for officers fraud. from the Moldovan Border Police. Participants were briefed on new trends in document forgery, refreshed their knowl- Training-of-trainers course on the identification of edge on international regulations for issuing travel docu- forged documents and impostors; Tirana, Albania ments, and learned new techniques for verifying the identity (3–7 June 2024) of impostors in operational settings such as at border cross- ing points. The participants also examined genuine travel and TNTD/BSMU delivered a ToT course on identifying forged identification documents to analyse forgery techniques used documents and impostors for representatives of the Alba- to facilitate travel under a stolen identity. nian State Police and the Albanian Border and Migration Po- lice. The course refreshed participants’ knowledge of various Advanced training course on identifying forged document types, personalization and security techniques, documents and impostors; Sofia, Bulgaria and international standards for developing travel documents. (14–18 October 2024) It also strengthened their technical expertise and practical skills in detecting counterfeit documents through hands-on TNTD/BSMU conducted two consecutive advanced training exercises with both genuine and forged travel and identifi- courses for representatives of the Bulgarian Border Police cation documents. In addition, the training enhanced par- and instructors from the Academy of the Ministry of Inte- ticipants’ competencies in training methodologies, enabling rior of Bulgaria. The course was delivered by two experts them to organize and deliver national training courses on this from the Police of Greece, who guided participants on sub- topic within their respective services. strates, security inks and printing techniques. The sessions also included an overview of new trends in document forgery Assessment visit to Ukraine on training needs in and a refresher on international regulations for issuing travel detecting forged documents and impostors; Kyiv, documents. The course concluded with an in-depth session Ukraine (17–21 June 2024) on biometric chip technology in passports and methods for comparing travellers’ facial features with the biometric data TNTD/BSMU conducted an assessment visit of Ukraine’s in passports. To strengthen practical skills, participants ana- SBGS on training needs for detecting forged documents and lysed genuine and forged travel and identification documents impostors, as well as improving efficiency and expediency using special magnifiers, donated by the OSCE. of travel document checks aboard passenger rail systems. TNTD/BSMU also met with the SBGS administration, the Main Forensic Centre in Kyiv, as well as with the Lviv Border Guard Detachment. During the meetings, it was agreed to

40  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Study visit on the promotion and exchange of good They also visited Dublin Airport and the Passport Office in practices and modern standards in border control Balbriggan, where they reviewed Ireland’s Facial Recognition and document security; London, United Kingdom Software for passport issuance, observed passport person- (21–25 October 2024) alization printing, and discussed future joint training cours- es under the temporary protection scheme for displaced TNTD/BSMU organized a study visit to the United Kingdom Ukrainian civilians. for senior officers from Ukraine’s SBGS. Participants attend- ed the annual congress of the Biometrics Institute, visited London Heathrow Airport and an Immigration Removal OSCE-Led mobile training team Centre, and conducted a follow-up visit to the UK’s National (MTT) on the identification of cross- Document Fraud Unit. Discussions included biometric chip border movement of suspected evaluation certification, use of the “Golden Reader Tool” and foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and training strategies for border police. They also met with UK Visas and Immigration at the Home Office to learn about risk other cross-border crimes analysis and vetting tools for visa issuance. Training courses on behavioural analysis, interview Study visit on the promotion and exchange of good techniques and countering trafficking in human practices and modern standards in border control beings (CTHB); Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and document security; Madrid, Spain (11–15 March 2024) (4–7 November 2024) TNTD/BSMU delivered the above specialized courses in TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the Spanish National Po- co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Her- lice, organized a study visit for senior officers from Ukraine’s zegovina and in co-ordination with the Permanent Mission SBGS. The visit focused on enhancing the SBGS’s expertise of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the OSCE, the UN and other in national travel document security by examining Spain’s international organizations in Vienna, to Bosnia and Herze- passport issuance and printing processes, techniques govina border police officers as well as representatives from for detecting forgeries at borders, advancements in digital the Agency for Education and Professional Training in Mo- identity systems, and methods of risk analysis for identifying star. The objective of these intensive training courses was trends in the use of fraudulent travel documents. to further strengthen the capacity of the country’s border police to effectively screen passengers at entry and exit Study visit on the promotion and exchange of good border checkpoints and conduct interviews with suspected practices and modern standards in information FTFs and perpetrators of cross-border crimes. The training sharing and the use of technology in border control also addressed the identification of potential victims of such and document security; Milan, Italy crimes, including human trafficking, based on human rights (13–15 November 2024) principles and approaches that are gender and age sensitive.

TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the Permanent Mission of MTT deployments to North Macedonia; Skopje, Italy to the OSCE and the Border Police working at Malpen- North Macedonia (1–5 April 2024) sa Airport, organized a study visit for representatives of the Albanian State Police. The visit focused on airport document TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to checks for Schengen and non-Schengen arrivals, as well as Skopje and with the support of the Permanent Mission of border control operations. It emphasized collaboration be- North Macedonia to the OSCE, the UN and other interna- tween first- and second-line officers for detecting criminals tional organizations, facilitated the deployment of the MTT using forged documents. The visit concluded the 2024 train- to deliver specialized courses on behavioural analysis, inter- ing cycle with the Albanian State Police, which also included viewing techniques and crisis management at borders. The the ToT course in June 2024 described above. training targeted first- and second-line border police officers, as well as senior border commanders operating at land, lake Study visit on forensic document examination; and airport border crossing points across the country. The Dublin, Ireland (18–22 November 2024) courses equipped participants with the knowledge and skills needed to better identify and prevent the movement of sus- TNTD/BSMU organized a study visit for forensic experts from pected FTFs and criminals in a human-rights compliant and the Main Forensic Centre of Ukraine’s SBGS. The delega- gender-responsive manner. tion attended a two-day international passport expert group meeting hosted by Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

41 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

MTT deployment to Tajikistan; Dushanbe, Tajikistan MTT courses for Moldovan border authorities; (23 April 2024) Chișinău, Moldova (10–13 September 2024)

TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the CPC/FSC SU, con- TNTD/BSMU facilitated the deployment of the MTT to deliver tributed to the month-long 36th Staff Course at the OSCE specialized training courses on identity management, travel Border Management Staff College (BMSC) in Dushanbe with security and crisis management at borders to representa- a one-day MTT training course on combating illicit trafficking tives from Moldova’s General Inspectorate of Border Police of SALW as well as conventional arms. Participants included of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Custom Services of Mol- 26 officers and managers from border guards, drug control, dova, as well as representatives from border and customs customs, immigration, and seaport and airport security ser- training institutions. The training aimed to strengthen officers’ vices from 16 participating States and Partners for Co-op- skills in identity management, travel security, API systems eration. The course included a combination of theoretical and crisis management principles, while also covering risk insights and practical exercises from the newly developed assessment, crisis typology, and strategies and techniques training curriculum in this subject. It marked the first deploy- for effectively preventing and responding to potential crises ment of the MTT to the BMSC. situations at the borders. At the request of participants, a follow-up MTT course will be considered for 2025. MTT courses for Ukraine border authorities; Krakow, Poland (27–31 May 2024) MTT courses for Kazakh customs and border authorities; Astana, Kazakhstan (7–11 October 2024) TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with Ukraine’s SBGS and with the support of the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the In- TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Programme ternational Organizations in Vienna, conducted MTT courses Office in Astana and with the support of the Permanent on behavioural analysis, interviewing techniques, and com- Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the International bating trafficking in human beings (CTHB) at borders. The Organizations in Vienna, conducted two courses for border training brought together border guards from across Ukraine and customs officers from Almaty and Astana. The training and representatives from Ukraine’s National Training Acad- sessions focused on enhancing crisis response capabilities emy, along with experts from INTERPOL, Frontex, and the and improving skills in understanding human behaviour and OSCE OSR/CTHB. The courses aimed at fostering in-depth passenger screening techniques. The participants engaged exchange on cross-border threats related to CTHB and the in interactive scenarios, risk assessment exercises and dis- movement of suspected FTFs and high-risk individuals, and cussions to exchange experience and good practices. Ex- emphasized the need for using interviewing techniques in pert contributions from INTERPOL and Kazakhstan’s Nation- line with human rights commitments. This initiative laid the al Profiling Unit added valuable insights. foundation for three additional MTT courses for the SBGS planned for 2025. Second MTT annual review meeting; Tirana, Albania (11–13 November 2024) MTT courses for border authorities of Kyrgyzstan; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (1–5 July 2024) The TNTD/BSMU’s MTT annual review meeting gathered MTT members from Albania, Algeria, Italy, Georgia, North TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye, alongside experts from Office in Bishkek and with the support of the Permanent Frontex, INTERPOL and UNOCT. The meeting focused on Delegation of the Kyrgyz Republic to the OSCE, facilitated assessing the achievements of 2024, developing the 2025 the deployment of the MTT to deliver courses on behaviour- training plan, and facilitating the exchange of lessons learned al analysis, interviewing techniques and crisis management from the eight MTT deployments conducted during the year. at borders to representatives from the Border Service of the Participants identified corrective measures, planned future State Committee for National Security, State Customs Ser- activities, and discussed strategies to ensure the long-term vice under the Ministry of Finance, State Committee for Na- impact and sustainability of efforts. A refresher ToT session, tional Security, and border and customs training institutions. featuring interactive discussions and practical exercises, The training aimed to strengthen officers’ skills in managing further enhanced participants’ skills and strengthened the potential border and to refine their interview techniques for MTT programme. These annual year-end meetings serve as identifying and preventing cross-border movement of sus- a cornerstone of the MTT project, offering a unique oppor- pected FTFs and other high-risk individuals during routine tunity for the entire team to reflect and strategize on goals entry and exit checks. and actions.

42  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

MTT mentoring training course; Tirana, Albania crisis management at borders, detection of illicit trafficking of (14–15 November 2024) SALW and techniques for CTHB. The course was organized by TNTD/BSMU in close co-operation with the Government TNTD/BSMU, in co-ordination with the OSCE Presence in of Uzbekistan, and included support and mentoring from the Albania, facilitated a mentoring course for the Albanian Bor- MTT on its course on crisis management at borders. This der and Migration Police and the Albanian Security Academy. co-operation between two projects reflects the compatibility The initiative aimed to integrate key elements of the MTT’s of OSCE efforts and the synergies aimed at maximizing the training curriculum on interviewing techniques into Albania’s cost-efficiency of donor funds and fostering the exchange national training programme for border police, marking the of expertise, thereby laying the groundwork for ongoing and conclusion of a series of mentoring efforts. The course fo- future NMTT initiatives. cused on ensuring sustainable knowledge transfer, strength- ening local expertise, and fostering long-term ownership of Training on behavioural detection and analysis; skills. By embedding MTT training content into the nation- Tashkent, Uzbekistan (24–28 June 2024) al curriculum, the initiative enhances the lasting impact of capacity-building efforts and supports the professionalization TNTD/BSMU organized a training course on behavioural de- of border security in Albania. tection and analysis for border and customs officers of Uz- bekistan with the aim to equip first- and second-line officers with knowledge and skills in behavioural analysis of passen- Strengthening the resilience of gers crossing borders, to better identify not only potential Uzbekistan to address cross- criminals but also victims of cross-border crimes. border challenges emanating from Assessment mission to the National K9 Training Afghanistan Center of the Customs Committee of Uzbekistan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan (1–2 July 2024) Co-ordination meeting with the Uzbek national mobile training team (NMTT); Istanbul, Türkiye TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the CPC/FSC SU and (12–13 March 2024) supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commis- sioner of the Surrey Police Dog Training Centre (PCC Surrey The above co-ordination meeting was conducted by TNTD/ DTC), conducted an assessment of Uzbekistan’s National BSMU, in co-operation with the Project Co-ordinator in Uz- K9 Training Center facilities under its State Customs Com- bekistan, members of the OSCE MTT as well as the NMTT mittee. The mission resulted in an agreement to donate four of Uzbekistan, and representatives from UNOCT and OSCE service dogs, and to send four mid- and senior-level Uzbek structures. The aim of the meeting was to discuss three K9 instructors to a one-month training course at the PCC planned deployment missions in 2024 focused on various Surrey DTC in Guilford, United Kingdom. The assessment aspects of border security and management for first- and was implemented within the framework of the Memorandum second-line border and customs officers at selected border of Understanding on co-operation in the area of combating checkpoints of Uzbekistan. A tailored training programme trafficking in SALW, conventional ammunition and explosives and table top exercise on identification management were that was signed between the OSCE Secretariat and the PCC developed, these addressing CTHB, trafficking of SALW, cri- Surrey DTC in 2024. sis management and risk indicators of FTF travel. The NMTT members enhanced their knowledge of presentation tech- High-level familiarization visit of the Chairman of the niques, including effective non-verbal communication with State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan; Gatwick & target audiences, in preparation for its first deployment mis- London, United Kingdom (2–6 September 2024) sion and training session in April 2024. TNTD/BSMU, in co-ordination with the CPC/FSC SU and Deployment of the NMTT on identifying cross- with the support of the UK Permanent Delegation to OSCE, border movement of FTFs to Uzbekistan; Termez, organized a high-level visit of the Chairman of the State Cus- Uzbekistan (22–26 April 2024) toms Committee of Uzbekistan to London Gatwick Airport, the West Midlands Police Training and National Breeding TNTD/BSMU facilitated the deployment of the NMTT of Centre, and the City of London Police. Additionally, the visit Uzbekistan for its first training mission at the Uzbekistan– launched a K9 training course for four K9 instructors from –Afghanistan Ayritam border checkpoint in Termez. The de- Uzbekistan at the PCC Surrey DTC. During the familiarization ployment, which brought together border and customs of- visit to London Gatwick Airport, the parties exchanged in- ficers from Uzbekistan, focused on identity management, formation on the work and current challenges of border and

43 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

customs agencies at airports, the importance of K9 services, Second training deployment mission of Uzbekistan’s as well as the use of new technologies such as AI in their NMTT on addressing cross-border challenges in the operations. identification of suspected FTFs and other criminals at the borders; Samarkand, Uzbekistan Training course for instructors from the K9 (25–28 November 2024) Training Center of the State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan; Guildford, United Kingdom TNTD/BSMU conducted a second training deployment of (2–26 September 2024) Uzbekistan’s NMTT, delivering a specialized course on border security and management for first- and second-line border TNTD/BSMU, the CPC/FSC SU and the Office of the Pro- and customs officers. The course delivery was supported ject Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in partnership with the by an international expert and mentored by the MTT. As PCC Surrey DTC, held a training course for instructors a part of the programme, participants visited the Jortepa from the National K9 Training Center under the State Cus- Uzbekistan–Tajikistan border checkpoint, where they ob- toms Committee of Uzbekistan. The course was aimed served live demonstrations of specialized equipment and op- at strengthening the capacity of Uzbek K9 instructors to erational procedures for passenger and cargo inspections. effectively use dogs for countering transnational threats through better detection of drugs, cash and firearms at border checkpoints. The sessions included advanced Promotion of information exchange training techniques and methods for service dogs in ac- and support for establishing cordance with UK standards and efficient practices. Four advance passenger information service dogs were donated to Uzbekistan’s Customs (API) systems in the OSCE area Committee. During the graduation ceremony, the trained instructors and their service dogs demonstrated their skills in searching for drugs, cash and firearms. The instructors Co-ordination meeting of the Eastern Europe and subsequently integrated their newly acquired methodolo- Central Asia informal working group on passenger gies and skills into the K9 training programmes of Uzbeki- data (EECA IWG); online (1 February 2024) stan’s State Customs Committee. TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT and OSCE field Training on SALW identification, post-seizure operations, organized the above online meeting for repre- record-keeping, and intelligence sharing and sentatives relevant national agencies involved in API system tracing; Tashkent, Uzbekistan implementation in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyr- (12–15 November 2024) gyzstan, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Tajikistan, Turkmen- istan and Ukraine. During the meeting, EECA IWG members TNTD/BSMU and the CPC/FSC SU organized a training provided national updates on their travel security efforts and course at the Faculty for Advanced Training of Uzbekistan’s adopted the 2024 Activity Plan, which established a strate- State Customs Committee in Tashkent, bringing together gic framework to guide the EECA IWG’s actions through the mid-level officers from Uzbekistan’s customs services. In- year. ternational experts from the German Verification Centre, INTERPOL and the Small Arms Survey contributed with Meeting of the EECA IWG – Virtual tour of the presentations and hands-on exercises, focusing on the passenger information units (PIUs) of Albania and illegal trafficking in SALW and related control measures. Mongolia; online (27 February 2024) The training course provided a platform for participants to exchange good practices and explore ways to integrate TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT, organized a international standards into their operations. The course meeting for representatives from relevant agencies involved aimed to strengthen the ability of customs and border of- in API system implementation from Albania, Bosnia and ficers to identify and address cross-border security chal- Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, lenges, with a particular focus on threats emanating from North Macedonia and Tajikistan. During the meeting, Albania Afghanistan. and Mongolia conducted virtual tours of their fully operation- al PIUs, showcasing real-time passenger data processing. The meeting also served as a platform for the exchange of information and experiences on the establishment and op- erationalization of national PIUs. In addition, the Chair of the South African informal working group Botswana was invited

44  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

to observe and learn from the EECA IWG’s approach to con- Study visit to the premises of the PIU of Albania; ducting virtual PIU tours. Tirana, Albania (24 May 2024)

Meeting of the EECA IWG on passenger data; online TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the OSCE Programme (26 March 2024) Office in Dushanbe, facilitated a study visit to Albania’s PIU for representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT, facilitated a Republic of Tajikistan. The purpose of the visit was to gain meeting to present Montenegro’s experience in amending its first-hand insights into the structure, organization, workflows national legislation within the process of establishment and and establishment of a functioning PIU. Two representatives the development of a national PIU. The meeting gathered from Ukraine’s State Security Service and its SBGS also 34 participants from law enforcement, border police, cus- participated. The study visit served as a unique learning op- toms services and state security agencies from 11 of the 18 portunity for gaining practical knowledge on the operational EECA IWG member states: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovi- and technical requirements for establishing and managing a na, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, national PIU. The visit contributed to advancing national API North Macedonia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. system projects in both Tajikistan and Ukraine.

Meeting of the EECA IWG on passenger data; online Meeting of the EECA IWG on passenger data; online (16 April 2024) (24 June 2024)

TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT, facilitated a TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT, organized an on- presentation by Georgia, the EECA IWG Vice-Chair for the line meeting of the EECA IWG on passenger data focused on Operational Pillar, on operational aspects of establishing engaging with the travel industry in the context of establish- API systems based on their national experience. The event ing national API systems. Kyrgyzstan, in its role as thematic provided a forum for sharing good practices and lessons Vice-Chair, delivered a presentation and two interventions learned in introducing SOPs and workflows when estab- on the topic. The meeting brought together representatives lishing national PIUs. The meeting was attended by rep- from law enforcement and PIUs from nine members of EECA resentatives from border police, customs services, state IWG on passenger data: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kyr- security agencies and other relevant API-implementing gyzstan, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia authorities from six EECA IWG member states: Bosnia and and Ukraine. Representatives from OSCE field operations, Herzegovina, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, North IOM and UNODC also attended the event. Organized as part Macedonia and Turkmenistan. of the 2024 EECA IWG Activity Plan, the event contributed to strengthening regional co-operation and information ex- Mid-year plenary meeting of the EECA IWG on change among the respective OSCE participating States, passenger data; Tirana, Albania (22–23 May 2024) and further reinforced the partnership between TNTD and UNOCT. TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT, the Interna- tional Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Albanian Meeting of the EECA IWG; online State Police, organized the fourth plenary meeting of the (17 September 2024) EECA IWG on passenger data in Tirana, Albania—the current Chair of the EECA IWG on passenger data. For TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT, organized an the first time, the meeting was held outside Vienna, host- online meeting of the EECA IWG focused on ICT and in- ed by the chairing country. The event brought together teroperability aspects of establishing national API systems. law enforcement officials engaged in the development of Mongolia, in its role as the second thematic Vice-Chair of national API systems, along with experts, PIU represent- the EECA IWG, presented its experience in establishing a atives, and personnel regularly engaged in the activities national API system and a PIU. The event was attended by of the EECA IWG. As part of the UNOCT’s Countering representatives of border police, customs cervices, state se- Terrorist Travel Programme, the EECA IWG on passenger curity agencies and other relevant API-implementing author- data supports participating States in sharing information ities from from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and experience on the effective use of API to strengthen Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Turkmenistan capacities for detecting and countering terrorist and crim- and Ukraine, as well as Israel and representatives from OSCE inal movement. field operations, UNODC and IOM.

45 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Meeting of the EECA IWG; online (11 October 2024) BSMU attended the Brussels’ Art Fair and presented at the EU-wide symposium “Cultural Property Protection, Law En- TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with UNOCT, facilitated an forcement Co-ordination and the European Art Market”. On online meeting focused on data brokerage service provid- the margins of event, TNTD/BSMU also facilitated meet- ers and the experiences of North Macedonia’s PIU. It also ings with NATO training points of contact to discuss the served to prepare for the in-person meeting of the EECA development of training on combating trafficking in cultural IWG planned for November in Vienna, Austria. The event properties for NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood Partners, brought together representatives from national border police, which includes several OSCE Mediterranean Partners for customs services, state security and other API-implement- Co-operation. Meetings were also held with the World Cus- ing authorities in Albania, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, toms Organization (WCO) to discuss possible future co-op- Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Turkmenistan and eration. Ukraine, as well as representatives from OSCE field opera- tions, INTERPOL, UNODC and IOM. Facilitation of co-operation between the OSCE- led Heritage Crime Task Force (HCTF) and OSCE Annual plenary meeting of the EECA IWG on participating States; Madrid, Spain passenger data; online & Vienna, Austria (21–23 February 2024) (6 November 2024) TNTD/BSMU facilitated the engagement of the HCTF re- TNTD/BSMU, jointly with UNOCT, organized the fourth an- garding information exchange and co-ordination with the US nual plenary meeting of the EECA IWG on passenger data Homeland Security in the context of an ongoing investigation for representatives from law enforcement, border police, of a case involving the dismantling of a transatlantic herit- customs services, and the state security agencies of Alba- age trafficking network. In addition, TNTD/BSMU support- nia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovi- ed Spain’s Guardia Civil and Ministry of Culture by enabling na, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, the HCTF to contribute expertise and facilitate international Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmen- co-operation on several heritage crime cases involving antiq- istan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan as well as Israel. The meeting uities trafficked from neighbouring regions. provided a platform to share good practices and lessons learned, passenger data collection methodologies, and se- Fifth regional training workshop on combating TCP; curity analysis across different travel modalities. Valetta, Malta (11–15 March 2024)

8th Passenger Data Seminar; online & Vienna, TNTD/BSMU held a regional workshop for customs, border Austria (7–8 November 2024) and law enforcement officers, financial investigators, and representatives from the Ministries of Culture of Cyprus, TNTD/BSMU, jointly with UNOCT, organized the 8th Passen- Egypt, Malta, Spain and Ukraine. The workshop was led ger Data Seminar back-to-back with the fourth annual plena- by the HCTF, with participation, for the first time, of OSCE ry meeting of the EECA IWG on passenger data. The event Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation. The main focus provided a unique forum for discussions about recent API of the workshop was to map financial networks used in developments between representatives from border police, North Africa by sanctioned individuals and criminal net- customs services, and state security agencies from OSCE works, and to discuss the implications of these networks participating States and Partners for Co-operation. The event for the OSCE area. As a direct outcome, new and trusted was organized to foster the implementation of MC.DEC/6/16 north–south co-operation channels in policing and border as well as relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. management have begun to emerge. Discussions at the workshop also led to the development of a new work plan, including the organization of a follow-up event planned for Combating illicit cross-border October 2024. trafficking in cultural property (TCP) in the OSCE area Balkan Museums Network conference on combating TCP; Tivat, Montenegro (18–19 April 2024)

Participation in the Brussels’ Art Fair; Brussels, At the invitation of the Balkan Museums Network, TNTD/ Belgium (29–30 January 2024) BSMU delivered a keynote speech at the Balkan Muse- ums Network conference on the impact of cross-border law At the invitation of the EU’s External Action Service and enforcement co-operation in the fight against TCP. TNTD/ Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, TNTD/ BSMU’s participation in the conference helped establish a

46  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

foundation for future co-operation in the region and a better security, Ministry of Culture and Office of the Prosecutor understanding of the HCTF’s expertise and the support it can General. offer to OSCE participating States. Presentation: “Sea-Land Borders Security and Conference on the protection of war graves Refugees/Arms/Dual-Use Goods Control”; online underwater heritage, and on the removal of dumped (3 July 2024) munitions; Valletta, Malta (22–24 April 2024) TNTD/BSMU, at the invitation of the Hellenic Multinational At the invitation of UNESCO, TNTD/BSMU delivered a pres- Peace Support Operations Training Center, delivered an on- entation at the above conference on challenges to combat- line presentation of the OSCE’s approach to border security ing TCP from marine heritage sites. The conference was or- and management in connection to combating TCP. ganized by UNESCO jointly with Heritage Malta. 37th Staff Course of the Border Management Staff Conference on the 70th anniversary of the 1954 College (BMSC); Vienna, Austria (8 July 2024) Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property; The Hague, the Netherlands TNTD/BSMU contributed to the month-long 37th Staff (13–14 May 2024) Course of the BMSC by conducting a full-day session on combating illicit TCP. The 24 participants included mid- and At the invitation of UNESCO and the Dutch National Police, senior-level officers from border, customs, immigration, po- TNTD/BSMU delivered remarks at the above conference re- lice, drug control, phytosanitary and trade/transport services garding the impact of law enforcement cross-border co-op- and agencies from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türki- eration in the fight against TCP. The conference focused ye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. on enhancing international co-operative efforts in times of conflict to protect cultural heritage against looting, illicit Operational training workshop on combating illicit cross-border trafficking and purposeful destruction. TNTD/ TCP; Antalya, Türkiye (2–4 September 2024) BSMU presented the work of the HCTF and ongoing ac- tivities under the OSCE programme to combat TCP in the TNTD/BSMU facilitated the delivery of a training work- OSCE area. Additional side meetings were organized with shop conducted by the HCTF for law enforcement and France, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well border management officials, financial investigators and as with partners from Blue Shield International, Eurojust, Eu- representatives of the Ministries of Culture of Kazakhstan, ropol and UNESCO to discuss planning for operational train- Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and ing workshops to be held later in 2024 in Malta, Serbia and Uzbekistan. The aim of the workshop was to enhance the Türkiye. capacity of frontline officers in identifying and preventing the cross-border trafficking of cultural property, as well Symposium “Protecting Ukrainian Cultural Heritage as to build cross-border partnerships to directly address and Enhancing National Response Capabilities”; trafficking routes running through the Black Sea and Med- Budapest, Hungary (23–24 May 2024) iterranean regions. A series of side meetings during the training workshop resulted in new and more detailed op- TNTD/BSMU, in co-ordination with the HCTF, hosted a erational plans for future training for the Ukrainian customs symposium in Budapest, Hungary, focused on protecting services, security services, police services and other rele- Ukrainian cultural heritage and enhancing Ukraine’s nation- vant entities. al response capabilities. Participants included representa- tives from Ukrainian law enforcement, border management, Cultural heritage repatriation ceremony; Rome, Italy State Prosecutor’s Office, museums and Ministry of Cul- (19 September 2024) ture. The symposium was held in response to Ukraine’s re- quest for assistance in establishing co-ordinated national TNTD/BSMU and members of the HCTF participated in a responses to heritage crimes and trafficking, with the aim of cultural heritage repatriation ceremony, in which an origi- establishing a national heritage crime task force in Ukraine. nal signed print of Youssef Karsh’s photograph of Winston Discussions were supported by Blue Shield International, Churchill known as the “Roaring Lion” was returned to Ca- the Hungarian National Museum and the Victoria and Albert nadian authorities after being stolen from Ottawa in 2022 Museum (United Kingdom). As a result, a focused training and found/recovered in Genoa, Italy, in early 2024. Through- plan is being negotiated to identify gaps and critical needs out the course of the cross-border criminal investigation, in supporting Ukraine’s operational and investigative capac- the Canadian authorities were assisted by members of the ities across the police, border authorities, customs, state HCTF and representatives of law enforcement agencies from

47 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

OSCE participating States, resulting in the identification and International conference “Cultural Property repatriation of the stolen print. Protection in the 21st Century: Meeting Requirements across the Forces”; Vienna, Austria Cultural property protection course; Krems, Austria (11–13 November 2024) (25 September 2024) TNTD/BSMU participated in and contributed to an expert At the invitation of Donau University Krems, TNTD/BSMU de- panel at the above conference, sharing insights on the livered an in-depth presentation on its programme to combat OSCE’s work in the field of combating TCP. The conference TCP and activities of the HCTF as part of the university’s In- served as a platform for exchange of experiences, common ternational Cultural Property Protection course. Participants security challenges and ideas. It was organized by the Austri- included mid- and senior-level police, as well as military, bor- an Armed Forces/National Defence Academy and supported der management and customs officers from the OSCE area. by UNESCO, the University for Continuing Education Krems, TNTD and Donau University Krems collaborate as partners the Austrian Society for Cultural Property Protection and Blue within the framework of the HCTF and are currently devel- Shield Austria. oping a post-graduate university course on cultural property protection and counter-trafficking. Conference on cultural property protection; Budapest, Hungary (25–26 November 2024) First operational training workshop on combating illicit trafficking in underwater cultural heritage; TNTD/BSMU delivered a keynote speech and participated Valetta, Malta (28 October–1 November 2024) in the panel discussion at a conference on cultural proper- ty protection organized by the Hungarian Presidency of the TNTD/BSMU, together with experts from Heritage Malta and Council of the European Union. TNTD/BSMU’s contribution the HCTF, delivered the first-of-its-kind operational training focused on ongoing efforts to assist participating States and workshop on combating illicit trafficking in underwater cul- Partners for Co-operation in combating TCP, strengthening tural heritage. Participants from Croatia, Denmark, France, regional cross-agency law enforcement partnerships, facili- Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine and the tating cross-border investigations, and mapping and disrupt- United Kingdom discussed the importance of the preser- ing trafficking networks. Efforts also aim to repatriate cultural vation of underwater cultural property, the management of property and build cases for national and international prose- historic wrecks, underwater archaeology, satellite mapping, cution. Successful cases to date were highlighted, along with 3D photogrammetry, harbour security and patrolling, as well plans to expand the geographic focus in 2025. as training on investigations and national/international law enforcement co-ordination. Gender mainstreaming in border Training course on combating illicit TCP, artworks security management and archaeological artifacts; online & Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (31 October 2024) Global Conference on Gender Equality in the Police; TNTD/BSMU contributed online to a training course on com- Budva, Montenegro (26–27 March 2024) bating illicit TCP, artworks and archaeological artifacts organ- ized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in At the invitation of the Association of Policewomen of Mon- co-operation with the Agency for Education and Professional tenegro and the European Network Policewomen, TNTD Training and the Centre against Trafficking in Works of Art of participated in the Global Conference on Gender Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants included representa- the Police. At the conference, TNTD showcased its efforts tives of national government organizations, as well as repre- to incorporate gender perspectives, as well as various initia- sentatives and experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s law tives it is undertaking to prevent and counter gender-based enforcement, Prosecutor General’s Office, Ministry of Culture violence and to empower female law enforcement officers and academia. TNTD/BSMU delivered remarks on strategic across the OSCE area. TNTD presented the OSCE Gender approaches to combating this area of crime, as well as vari- Equality Platform in Border Security and Management, and ous project activities and the work of the HCTF. encouraged the conference participants to consider joining the platform. Also highlighted by TNTD was the work of the OSCE BMSC in Dushanbe, which actively mainstreams a gender perspective through all its educational programmes. The event elevated the visibility and impact of TNTD’s efforts towards gender-inclusive and -sensitive security.

48  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Webinar on gender aspects of crisis management at Mission Ukraine and the OSCE OSR/CTHB contributed to borders; online (14 May 2024) the course as trainers.

TNTD/BSMU, in co-operation with the MTT, developed and delivered a webinar titled “Gender Aspects of Crisis Manage- Co-operation in the field of border ment at the Border”, which gathered members of the OSCE security Gender Equality Platform in Border Security and Manage- ment, as well as representatives of border agencies from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation. OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) The webinar aimed at raising awareness of the importance of curriculum writing workshop; online integrating a gender perspective into border agencies’ pre- (27 February 2024) paredness and response to security crises at borders. It also presented gender-sensitive practices for upholding human At the invitation of the OSCE BMSC, TNTD/BSMU, together rights and addressing vulnerabilities during border controls, with experts from IOM, UNOCT and other international or- highlighting how considering gender dynamics leads to more ganizations, contributed expertise and shared good practic- inclusive and effective border management. es in developing a training curriculum on border security and management. The discussion focused on lessons learned International seminar on the establishment of a from creating the new 2023 training programme for the MTT regional network for women in border management on identifying cross-border movements of suspected FTFs and law enforcement in Central Asia; Bishkek, and other cross-border crimes in the OSCE area. The cur- Kyrgyzstan (15–16 October 2024) riculum integrates human rights principles as well as gender- and age-sensitive approaches in border controls. TNTD/BSMU, together with the OSCE Gender Issues Pro- gramme, the CPC Security Sector Governance and Reform World Border Security Congress; Istanbul, Türkiye and the OSCE field operations in Central Asia, organized a (24–26 April 2024) seminar to kick off discussions and preparations for estab- lishing a regional network of women in border management TNTD/BSMU contributed to the World Border Security Con- and law enforcement in Central Asia. The event brought to- gress held in Istanbul, Türkiye, by presenting the OSCE’s gether thirty female representatives of the Ministries of In- efforts to promote information exchange and support the ternal Affairs, State Committees of National Security, Border establishment of API-systems in the OSCE area. Guard Services, Police Services and Prosecutors General’s Offices of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmeni- UNCTED follow-up visit to Kazakhstan; Astana, stan. The participants developed a concept and workplan for Kazakhstan (20–24 May 2024) the network, which will be shared with their national authori- ties in 2025 for consideration and further action. The partici- At the invitation of UNCTED to represent the OSCE, TNTD/ pants also networked and shared knowledge, strengthening BSMU contributed expert input during a follow-up visit to Ka- connections with each other and their respective agencies. zakhstan to assess the country’s progress in implementing the recommendations related to UN Security Council Reso- Training course on gendered aspects of cross- lutions on counter-terrorism that were issued in 2016 by the border crimes and gender-responsive border Committee. The visit also aimed to collect information, iden- security and management; Madrid, Spain (30–31 tify good practices, and propose areas where Kazakhstan October 2024) could benefit from further technical assistance. Discussions also addressed the gender dimension of counter-terrorism, TNTD/BSMU, together with the Spanish National Police, including the role of women in P/CVERLT. organized an interactive training course for 26 first- and second-line border security officers from Albania, France, 2024 Forum of the OSCE Secretary General and five Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Spain and Tunisia to ad- Central Asia border commanders; Vienna, Austria dress the nexus between organized transnational crimes (4–5 June 2024) and gender. The participants engaged in discussions on the role of women and men in terrorism and violent extrem- TNTD/BSMU organized the 2024 Forum in close co-op- ism, and were introduced to gender-sensitive and trauma- eration with the Office of the Secretary General, the CPC, -informed interviewing techniques to improve the identifi- OCEEA, the five OSCE Central Asia field operations and the cation of victims and potential perpetrators of cross-border Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe. The event crimes. Representatives from the European Union Advisory featured discussions regarding the use of AI in border securi-

49 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

ty and management, as well as the need to further strengthen joint actions. The meetings provide a valuable platform for capacity-building and infrastructure development initiatives exchanging good practices and identifying synergies, ensur- to efficiently prevent and address cross-border transnational ing that OSCE efforts are aligned and resources are used threats. The border commanders also agreed to support the effectively across the OSCE area. establishment of the Regional Association of Women in Law Enforcement in Central Asia, planned for the third quarter of Annual co-ordination meeting of the border security 2024. In co-operation with the Austrian Ministry of the Inte- and management focal points from OSCE field rior, TNTD organized a visit to Vienna International Airport to operations; Vienna, Austria (26–27 November 2024) examine its operations and systems. During bilateral meet- ings with the Secretary General, the border commanders TNTD/BSMU organized the annual co-ordination meet- outlined current challenges in the Central Asia region and the ing for BSM focal points from the OSCE field operations in support needed from the OSCE. South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The meeting reviewed current and emerging trends in trans- Co-ordination meetings with the national border national threats and cross-border crimes across the OSCE security and management points of contact liaising area, and provided a platform for networking and sharing with OSCE field operations; online good practices to address such threats. Additionally, the (7-8 February; 28 May and 17-19 September 2024) meeting identified opportunities for strengthening co-ordi- nation between TNTD, the OSCE field operations, ODIHR TNTD/BSMU facilitated regular co-ordination meetings with and international partners active in BSM, including Frontex, the BSM points of contact liaising the OSCE field operations INTERPOL, UNODC, UNOCT, IOM, the EU Advisory Mission to discuss activities planned for implementation by the end in Ukraine, and others. Also examined were opportunities for of the year and to explore opportunities for co-operation and synergizing efforts in 2025.

50  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.

Spotlight on ▶ Developing a key OSCE study: Exploring financial literacy as a tool for preventing youth engagement in crime (throughout 2024)

In co-operation with TNTD, the OCEEA undertook a pioneering study12 exploring the critical role played by financial literacy in preventing youth engagement in crime. The study, From risk to resilience: The role of financial literacy in youth crime prevention, gathered data from 21 participating States. The findings show that there is a strong link between low financial literacy and the vulnerability of young people to criminal exploitation.

The study has shown that financial illiteracy exacerbates various risk factors—from family financial stress and debt burdens, to the influence of social media glamorizing criminal lifestyles. Gender- specific vulnerabilities are evident: young men are more prone to involvement in violent crime and debt-based recruitment, while young women face increased risks of sexual and financial exploitation.

Ž OSCE study on the role of financial literacy in youth crime prevention (OSCE/Micky Kroell)

12 OSCE 2024, From risk to resilience: The role of financial literacy in youth crime prevention, accessible at https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/e/c/588529.pdf

51 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

The study further highlights financial literacy as a key factor in strengthening the resilience of young people to such risks. As one practitioner contributing to the study stated, “financial literacy equips young people with the tools to make informed financial decisions, manage risks and avoid the vulnerabilities that organized crime groups exploit, fostering resilience and helping them pursue safer, lawful opportunities.”

Recognizing financial education as a powerful prevention tool, the study outlines practical cross- sectoral recommendations for policymakers, law enforcement officials, social service workers and educators to strengthen youth resilience against crime. By embedding financial literacy into crime prevention strategies, OSCE participating States can equip youth with the tools they need to build resilient, secure and independent futures, reducing their vulnerability to criminal exploitation

Anti-corruption activities

Training course on investigative techniques and ence makes it an ideal setting for learning good practices in international co-operation in corruption cases; corruption investigations,” said a Moldovan participant. The Chișinău, Moldova (4–5 July 2024) visit was implemented with the Guardia di Finanza Liaison Officer in Vienna and funded by France, Germany, Italy and The training course aimed to enhance the knowledge and Romania. The study visit directly contributed to the up- skills of Moldovan criminal justice practitioners in investi- coming Memorandum of Understanding with the Moldovan gations of corruption cases. The course was delivered by National Anti-Corruption Centre, scheduled for signing in experts from Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, Moldova’s Anti- early May 2025. -Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and Romania’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate. It covered various investigative models, legal frameworks and mechanisms. A key focus Addressing the use of virtual assets was the Guardia di Finanza’s “follow-the-money” approach, which traces financial flows to identify illicit funds. The sec- National Risk Assessment of virtual assets in ond part of the course emphasized international co-opera- Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova (throughout 2024) tion, including formal and informal channels for information exchange. Through practical exercises, the participants At the request of the Moldovan authorities, the OCEEA sup- applied their newly acquired knowledge to real-world case ported a National Risk Assessment (NRA) on the use of vir- studies. “These training courses strengthen our skills and al- tual assets in the Republic of Moldova. The process began low us to exchange experiences with colleagues from other with stakeholder meetings in Chisinau in August 2024 and countries,” said an investigative officer from Moldova’s Na- was finalized in the first quarter of 2025. An OSCE expert, tional Anti-Corruption Centre. working with national counterparts, prepared analytical ma- terials that assessed the virtual asset ecosystem, identified Study visit of Moldovan practitioners to the Guardia risks and regulatory gaps, and proposed recommendations di Finanza and the Italian National Anti-Corruption aligned with international standards. The completed NRA Authority; Rome, Italy (12–14 November 2024) provides a strategic foundation for strengthening Moldova’s regulatory and supervisory framework in line with evolving The OCEEA organized a study visit of Moldovan law enforce- FATF guidance. ment and criminal justice practitioners to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza and the Italian National Anti-Corruption Authority. Workshops for supervisory bodies on the regulation Part of the project “Supporting Anti-Corruption Efforts of the of virtual assets and virtual assets markets; Warsaw, Government of Moldova”, the visit built upon a previous train- Poland (5–9 February 2024) ing course held in Chișinău. Participants visited the Guardia di Finanza’s General Command, its specialized units, and Ukrainian supervisory agencies and regulators engaged in the National Anti-Corruption Authority, gaining insights into workshops on addressing the most common risks asso- Italy’s investigative tools, anti-corruption strategies and public ciated with money laundering and supervisory processes procurement monitoring. The visit emphasized interagen- governing virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The event cy and international co-operation. “Italy’s extensive experi- brought together participants from Ukraine and Poland, who

52  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

joined both in-person and online to discuss practical cases, Workshop on taxation of virtual assets; Yerevan, regulatory frameworks, and innovative strategies for combat- Armenia (14–15 March 2024) ing illicit activities within the virtual asset and cryptocurrency space. Through interactive case studies and practical examples, participants explored the complexities of taxing different Study visit for representatives from the National types of virtual asset transactions—from crypto mining and Bank of Georgia; Riga, Latvia (19–23 February 2024) staking to the taxation of digital art and virtual real estate in the metaverse. The workshop also addressed key regulatory OCEEA organized a study visit to Riga for representatives frameworks, including international standards and upcoming from the National Bank of Georgia. Facilitators and par- regulations shaping the future of virtual asset taxation. ticipants from Georgia and the Baltic countries discussed VASP licensing processes and risk assessments, monitor- Workshop on a regulatory framework for VASPs; ing and supervision of such entities, practical cases, regu- Tbilisi, Georgia (25–27 March 2024) latory frameworks, and innovative strategies for combating illicit activities within the virtual asset and cryptocurrency The workshop gave officials from the anti-money launder- space. ing and virtual assets department of the National Bank of Georgia an opportunity to discuss registration rule require- Training in financial crime investigation for law ments for VASPs in Georgia. During the workshop, OSCE enforcement; Chișinău, Moldova experts and National Bank officials analysed the regulatory (26–28 February 2024) landscape and explored compliance measures to mitigate the risks of money laundering and financial crime involving The training covered basic and advanced techniques and virtual assets. practical tools for investigating financial crimes involving vir- tual assets, including tracing criminal transactions across Study visit for representatives of the National Bank different blockchains, analysing case studies and good prac- of Moldova; Tbilisi, Georgia (27–29 March 2024) tices, and using specialized analytics software. The training course was attended by practitioners from Moldova’s Gen- OCEEA organized a study visit for representatives of the Na- eral Prosecutor’s office, Intelligence Service, State Tax Ser- tional Bank of Moldova to Tbilisi, Georgia. The visit promoted vice, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Office for Prevention and the exchange of insights and experiences between repre- Combating Money Laundering. sentatives of the National Bank of Moldova and its Georgian counterpart. The study visits focused on leveraging Geor- Basic investigation training for law enforcement; gian expertise in regulating virtual assets and VASPs, with Tbilisi, Georgia (11–13 March 2024) a particular emphasis on addressing money laundering and terrorism financing risks. The training covered basic and advanced techniques and practical tools for government officials from Georgian law en- Workshop for supervisory bodies on the regulation forcement and related agencies investigating financial crimes of virtual assets and virtual assets markets; Tbilisi, involving virtual assets, including tracing criminal transactions Georgia (15–18 April 2024) across different blockchains, analysing case studies and good practices, and using specialized analytics software. A workshop organized by the OCEEA brought together par- ticipants from the National Bank of Georgia to strengthen the Awareness-raising workshop for relevant country’s capacity to identify and address “red flag indica- government officials; Yerevan, Armenia tors” of virtual asset misuse. The event offered a platform (11–13 March 2024) to discuss red flags such as transaction size and frequency, transaction patterns, technological features that enhance an- The workshop was aimed at Armenian government officials onymity and geographical risks. During the workshop, OSCE to enhance their understanding of virtual assets, raise aware- experts and officials from the National Bank of Georgia ex- ness of the associated criminal risks, and outline urgent amined the regulatory landscape and explored compliance measures to mitigate these risks. measures to mitigate the risks of money laundering and financial crime involving virtual assets.

53 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Basic training course on investigations involving Workshop on a regulatory framework for virtual crypto-assets; Yerevan, Armenia (24–26 April 2024) assets and VASPs; Yerevan, Armenia (25–27 June 2024) OCEEA conducted a basic training course on investiga- tions involving crypto-assets, gathering representatives from OCEEA organized a workshop on regulatory frameworks for various law enforcement agencies in Armenia. During the virtual assets and VASPs for participants from three agencies: course, participants learned about fundamental techniques the Central Bank of Armenia, and Armenia’s Financial Mon- and practical tools for conducting effective crypto investiga- itoring Centre and Prosecutor General’s Office. The work- tions. Drawing on real-world cases, the sessions examined shop focused on the operational dynamics and business basic methods for tracing criminal transactions across vari- models of VASPs, as well as the complex legal frameworks ous types of blockchain networks. governing crypto-assets. A team of OSCE experts provided an in-depth analysis of the current regulatory environment for Advanced training course on investigations involving virtual assets, including the applicability of existing regulatory crypto-assets; Tbilisi, Georgia (29 April–1 May 2024) measures to cryptocurrency transactions and the challenges of verifying ownership transfers on blockchain platforms. OCEEA conducted an advanced training course on investi- gations involving crypto-assets, equipping the participants Workshops on managing seized and confiscated with advanced techniques and practical skills, including virtual assets; Yerevan, Armenia (18–19 July 2024), sophisticated methods for tracing criminal transactions Tbilisi, Georgia (15–16 July 2024), and Chișinău, across multiple blockchains, real-world case studies, good Moldova (22–23 July 2024) practices from other law enforcement agencies, and fa- miliarization with specialized analytics software and open- The workshops emphasized the importance of developing source tools. skills in managing virtual assets, a critical capability for su- pervisory agencies and law enforcement officials to ensure Advanced training course on investigations involving the seamless handling of assets following seizure or confis- crypto-assets; Yerevan, Armenia (12–14 June 2024) cation.

OCEEA gathered representatives of law enforcement and Workshop for the National Bank of Georgia: supervisory agencies for an advanced training course on in- Customer risk assessments and preventive vestigations involving crypto-assets to enhance participants’ measures, and guidance for VASPs; Tbilisi, Georgia capacities in investigating financial crimes committed with (6–9 August 2024) virtual assets. Participants were familiarized with advanced techniques and practical skills in the field, including methods At the request of Georgian authorities, the OSCE convened a for tracing criminal transactions across multiple blockchains, workshop to assist the National Bank of Georgia to develop real-world case studies, and good practices from other law customer risk assessment guidelines, risk prevention meas- enforcement agencies. ures, and guidance for VASPs. The event provided a platform to discuss know-your-customer (KYC) measures for virtual Workshop on navigating the virtual asset landscape; assets. OSCE experts and officials from the National Bank of Warsaw, Poland (18–20 June 2024) Georgia analysed the regulatory landscape and developed compliance solutions to mitigate money laundering and fi- OCEEA organized a workshop hosted by the Ministry of Fi- nancial crime risks involving virtual assets. nance of Poland and targeting Ukrainian supervisory agen- cies and regulators in their efforts to implement the FATF Training courses on investigating blockchain Recommendations 15 and 16. The event gathered repre- obfuscation techniques; Warsaw, Poland sentatives responsible for overseeing and implementing the (7–9 August & 12–14 August 2024) national anti-money laundering regulatory framework from the National Bank of Ukraine, as well as Ukraine’s National OCEEA, together with UNODC, developed a new training Securities and Stock Market Commission, State Financial course on investigating blockchain obfuscation techniques Monitoring Service and Ministry of Digital Transformation. The and conducted two sessions, the first for participants from workshop offered a platform for discussions on how super- Ukraine and Moldova, the second for participants from visory authorities can effectively oversee VASPs and mitigate Georgia and Armenia. The course familiarized investigators the risks of money laundering and other financial crimes. with criminal techniques used to obfuscate cryptocurrency transactions and, through practical exercises, helped them develop key investigative skills to uncover such methods.

54  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

Participants gained hands-on experience in identifying and Authority and Office for the Prevention and Combating of countering various tactics used to disguise criminal activities Money Laundering. in the cryptocurrency space. Workshop on regulation support framework for Awareness-raising workshop for supervisory and VASPs; Vienna, Austria (9–11 October 2024) law enforcement bodies; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (27–28 August 2024) OCEEA organized a workshop in Vienna titled “VASPs regu- lation support frameworks” for practitioners from the national An awareness-raising workshop for supervisory and law en- banks of Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine. forcement bodies in Mongolia enhanced the participants’ understanding of virtual assets, raised awareness of the as- Workshop on cryptocurrency investigations; Astana, sociated criminal risks, and outlined urgent steps to mitigate Kazakhstan (22–27 October 2024) these risks. OCEEA conducted a workshop on cryptocurrency investi- Advanced workshop on virtual asset regulatory gations for practitioners from Kazakhstan’s Asset Recovery frameworks; Riga, Latvia (4–6 September 2024) Committee, Financial Monitoring Agency, Anti-Corruption Agency and Prosecutor’s General Office. The workshop of- OCEEA conducted an advanced workshop on virtual asset fered an introduction to crypto investigations, including iden- regulatory frameworks for Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and tifying perpetrators, gathering evidence and reporting suspi- Ukraine. Hosted by the Latvian Corruption Prevention and cious transactions related to cryptocurrencies. Combating Bureau, the workshop brought together partic- ipants to share good practices from Latvia and the EU on Advanced training course on investigations involving building national compliance frameworks for VASPs. crypto-assets; Chișinău, Moldova (6–8 November 2024) Inception workshop for supervisory and law enforcement bodies; Astana, Kazakhstan OCEEA implemented an advanced training course in Mol- (16–17 September 2024) dova on investigations involving crypto-assets, introducing participants to specialized investigation techniques involving OCEEA initiated activities addressing the use of virtual as- virtual assets. sets in Kazakhstan with an inception workshop attended by representatives from various Kazakh supervisory agencies. Training course on investigating blockchain During the workshop, participants were introduced to basic obfuscation techniques; Chișinău, Moldova blockchain tracing techniques and informed about the po- (13–15 November 2024) tential risks posed by crypto-assets. OCEEA delivered a training course in Moldova on investigat- Training-of-trainers course; Gdansk, Poland ing blockchain obfuscation techniques, introducing relevant (25–27 September 2024) practitioners to coin joins, mixers, and other transaction- -masking methods. OCEEA conducted a ToT course for current and future OSCE experts, along with participants from Georgia and Moldova. Introductory workshops for Kazakhstan’s General The course provided advanced teaching and presentation Prosecutor’s Office and Agency for Financial techniques, including public speaking, adult learning meth- Monitoring; Astana, Kazakhstan odologies, and other key skills essential for effective training. (19 & 20 November 2024)

Basic training course on investigations involving OCEEA organized two successive specialized training ses- crypto-assets; Chișinău, Moldova sions on how criminals use virtual assets, the first session for (30 September–2 October 2024) practitioners from Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General’s Office, the second for its Agency for Financial Monitoring. OCEEA conducted a basic training course on crypto-asset investigation, introducing the participants to the fundamental aspects of crypto-assets. The course gathered participants from Moldova’s Border Police, Criminal Assets Recovery Agency, National Anti-Corruption Centre, National Integrity

55 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Basic training course on investigations involving preventing and investigating the criminal use of virtual as- crypto-assets for Ukraine’s National Securities and sets and blockchain-based finance. Participants included Stock Market Commission (20–22 November 2024) practitioners from Turkmenistan’s Prosecutor General’s Of- fice, Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, Financial Monitoring An online basic training course on investigations involving Agency and Ministry of Internal Affairs. crypto-assets was held for practitioners from the National Securities and Stock Market Commission of Ukraine, intro- Preventing and investigating the criminal use ducing them to the fundamentals of blockchain technology, of virtual assets and blockchain-based finance; the taxonomy of crypto-assets and investigative techniques Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (17–18 December 2024) for analysing blockchain transactions. OCEEA implemented an activity focused on preventing and Introductory workshop on preventing and investigating the criminal use of virtual assets and block- investigating the criminal use of virtual assets and chain-based finance for practitioners from Kyrgyzstan’s blockchain-based finance; Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Prosecutor General’s Office, State Financial Intelligence Ser- (27–28 November 2024) vice, National Bank, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Committee for National Security. OCEEA kickstarted activities addressing the use of virtual assets in Turkmenistan with an introductory workshop on

56  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

1.5 Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB)

Introduction

The OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (OSR/CTHB) is mandated to support OSCE participating States in addressing all forms of human trafficking, co-ordinating efforts across all three OSCE dimensions, and serving as the focal point for the Organization’s anti-trafficking initiatives. In 2024, the OSR/CTHB continued to help participating States and Partners for Co-operation to prevent trafficking, prosecute its perpetrators and protect its victims, in line with OSCE commitments, including the 2003 Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, the Action Plan’s 2005 and 2013 Addenda, and related Ministerial Council decisions. Much of the Office’s work involves policy guidance and capacity-building.

Spotlight on ▶ International conference “Strengthening criminal justice responses to and detection of trafficking in human beings amid refugee flows from Ukraine”; Vienna, Austria (19–20 June 2024)

In an effort to help fortify defences against one of the potentially most pressing challenges of our time, OSR/CTHB co-organized the high-level international conference “Strengthening criminal justice responses to and detection of trafficking in human beings amid refugee flows from Ukraine”, in partnership with INTERPOL. The conference brought together over 100 criminal

Ž International conference “Strengthening criminal justice responses to and detection of trafficking in human beings amid refugee flows from Ukraine” (OSCE)

57 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

justice stakeholders, including heads and deputy heads of national police, heads of anti-trafficking departments and units, heads of cyber-crime police departments and units, and specialized anti- trafficking prosecutors from 33 countries (including from Ukraine). The participating countries, many of which host significant numbers of refugees from Ukraine, reflected on emerging trends.

The conference provided an opportunity for participants to exchange information on current trafficking cases involving Ukrainian refugees. They discussed ongoing interventions to address human trafficking threats, including those encountered online. Participants also shared good practices and operational challenges in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting cases identified during the first two years of the crisis.

The event underscored the importance of vigilance and of keeping the issue of human trafficking of refugees from Ukraine high on the agenda, including the need to strengthen co-operation among participating States to ensure cases are promptly detected, investigated and prosecuted. In the feedback survey, participants confirmed that they will share the knowledge gained in their countries and plan actions to strengthen the overall response based on the conference findings.

Participants unanimously confirmed that the opportunity to strengthen personal and professional contacts will enhance co-operation efforts to combat human trafficking in the OSCE area. As stated by one stakeholder, “the conference will increase the effectiveness of the fight against human trafficking. It will also intensify communication between criminal justice stakeholders of various countries. This will enable sharing good practices in criminal investigations and thereby strengthen international security.”

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity National workshops on unconditional access to “Be Safe” digital awareness campaign; throughout services for trafficking victims; Tallinn, Estonia (10– the OSCE area (throughout 2024) 11 January 2024); Budapest, Hungary (24–25 January 2024); Athens, Greece (14–15 February 2024) To promote the anti-trafficking resources available to Ukrain- ians in OSCE participating States, including country-specific OSR/CTHB conducted a series of training workshops on helplines and contacts to victim aid agencies, as well as trafficking victim identification and unconditional access to to provide them with information on the risks of trafficking, services. The workshops focused on OSCE participating OSR/CTHB partnered with Thomson Reuters to develop States hosting particularly large numbers of Ukrainian refu- and disseminate the “Be Safe” digital awareness campaign gees. They brought together national anti-trafficking author- (helpforukrainians.info). The campaign is being broadly sup- ities, social protection services, criminal justice practitioners, ported by participating States and technology and commu- and NGOs working in the areas of CTHB and refugee pro- nication companies. In 2024, the “Be Safe” website was up- tection. The workshops promoted a “social path” to identifi- dated to reflect new and evolving risks of human trafficking cation and long-term assistance for all trafficking victims, re- for Ukrainian refugees as they settle in destination countries. gardless of their willingness or ability to participate in criminal Contact details of further anti-trafficking hotlines were added, proceedings. The workshops assisted participating States in bringing the total number of countries to 35. developing practical steps and policy options for implement- ing the “social path” model, in line with the OSR/CTHB report Putting victims first: The “social path” to identification and assistance13.

13 OSCE 2023, Putting victims first: The ‘social path’ to identification and assistance, accessible at https://www.osce.org/cthb/538452

58  Police-Related Activities of the OSCE Secretariat

“Financial Intelligence against Human Trafficking” it positioned the OSCE as a leader in integrating technology (FIAHT) initiative; Bern, Switzerland to combat human trafficking. Following the workshop, the (24 January & 25 November 2024) government of Kyrgyzstan issued a national roadmap on AI and THB. To strengthen national capacities for proactively identify- ing THB cases, including through financial investigations, Workshop on trauma-informed, multi-disciplinary OSR/CTHB partnered with the Money Laundering Report- responses to trafficking in human beings; Tbilisi, ing Office Switzerland, Swiss Government representatives, Georgia (24–27 June 2024) cantonal authorities, financial intelligence and investigation bodies, financial regulators, criminal justice practitioners, As a follow-up activity to the national simulation-based train- and anti-trafficking authorities to exchange promising prac- ing exercise held in Georgia in 2023, OSR/CTHB conducted tices, lessons learned from other participating States, and a workshop on the importance of multi-agency collabora- models of public–private partnerships for sharing strategic tion when investigating trafficking cases and of adopting and tactical data. This engagement paved the way for draft- trauma-informed approaches when dealing with suspected ing Switzerland’s strategic human trafficking analysis report victims of THB. The interactive training, organized in part- (FIAHT), which was officially launched on 25 November 2024. nership with the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, brought The report serves as an operational alert to guide financial together Georgian anti-trafficking practitioners to work to- institutions in identifying and reporting presumed cases of gether in small groups on practical exercises, strengthening human trafficking, with concrete guidance on indicators of their ability to investigate and prosecute perpetrators while human trafficking risks. ensuring appropriate victim support and reducing the risk of re-traumatization. National workshops on recommendations on enhancing anti-trafficking prevention amid mass Round table on human trafficking risks and the role migration flows; Paris, France (31 January 2024); of financial intelligence; Vilnius, Lithuania Washington, D.C., and Chicago, United States (24–25 September 2024) (1 & 4 March 2024); Ottawa, Canada (8 March 2024); Madrid, Spain (12 December 2024) A round table on human trafficking risks and the role of fi- nancial intelligence was held by the OSR/CTHB, jointly with In response to the heightened risks of human trafficking Lithuania’s Centre of Excellence in Anti-Money Laundering. among those fleeing Ukraine, OSR/CTHB organized national The round table brought together key representatives from workshops to strengthen anti-trafficking prevention during the public and private sectors, including government agen- mass migration. Policymakers and practitioners discussed cies, financial units, financial institutions, VASPs, and criminal the current situation—including challenges and opportuni- justice organizations. The aim was to enhance awareness of ties—to prevent a humanitarian crisis from escalating into the private sector’s role in identifying and responding to traf- a trafficking crisis. Participants worked to identify and scale ficking-related financial flows, particularly amid the migration up necessary responses. The implementation team ana- from Ukraine. Also featured was a practical exercise focused lysed the discussions to pinpoint good practices and areas on developing financial indicators and red flags for reporting for improvement, resulting in letters to each country recom- suspicious transactions in Lithuania. The event highlighted mending actions and offering OSR/CTHB support for their the risks of human trafficking associated with illicit financial implementation. flows, especially in light of the over 600 crypto companies operating in the country. Following the workshop, the Centre National workshop on technology-facilitated committed to conducting a strategic analysis of trafficking- trafficking; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (5 June 2024) -related risks, and developing guidance for financial services in partnership with the OSR/CTHB. OSR/CTHB, in collaboration with the OSCE Programme Of- fice in Bishkek and national authorities of Kyrgyzstan, hosted Side-event on the margins of the Warsaw Human a ground-breaking workshop on addressing technology- Dimension Conference (WHDC); Warsaw, Poland -facilitated human trafficking. Focused on the role of AI and (2 October 2024) machine learning, the event aimed at exploring the risks and opportunities posed by AI and machine learning in combating The WHDC side-event “Enhancing human rights-based and trafficking. The workshop provided authorities of Kyrgyzstan victim-centred approach to identification of and assistance with valuable insights for strategies to tackle this issue. As the to victims of human trafficking” highlighted promising prac- first known practical workshop held by an international organ- tices. In particular it emphasized the importance of ensuring ization on AI and machine learning as related to trafficking, that trafficking victims have immediate and unconditional

59 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

access to protection and long-term assistance, including in nies. In particular, the policy brief paved the way for several the context of the ongoing humanitarian crisis related to the high-level discussions with key stakeholders in the technolo- war in Ukraine. It also provided an opportunity to consid- gy and law enforcement sectors, including the Tech Against er further measures needed to strengthen identification and Trafficking Summit in London on 13 November 2024, and assistance efforts, and to turn promising practices into stan- the Tech Coalition’s EU Generative AI Industry Briefing in dard procedures across the OSCE area. Brussels on 21 November 2024.

First Mediterranean regional simulation-based Central Asia regional workshop on vulnerabilities to training exercise; Vicenza, Italy (7–11 October 2024) trafficking in human beings; Istanbul, Türkiye (12–13 November 2024) Anti-trafficking practitioners from Italy, Malta and Spain, as well as Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia, gathered to examine sim- OSR/CTHB conducted a regional workshop in Istanbul, ulated complex human trafficking cases in the Mediterrane- bringing together practitioners from across Central Asia to an region. The training scenario reflected diverse migratory examine the key vulnerability factors contributing to human flows across multiple States, demonstrating how criminal trafficking. The event fostered in-depth discussions on how groups exploit the vulnerability of migrants and displaced intersecting factors—such as gender, age, ethnicity, disabil- persons for labour or sexual exploitation, or forced criminality. ity and socio-economic status—heighten trafficking risks. The training brought together a wide range of anti-traffick- These exchanges deepened the participants’ understanding ing professionals, including prosecutors, labour inspectors, of the complex, overlapping vulnerabilities underlying traffick- social workers, criminal and financial investigators, lawyers, ing, and enhanced their skills in designing victim-centred re- NGO representatives and migration officers. In addition, the sponses tailored to the risks faced by specific groups. simulation used a ToT approach, enabling trainers from par- ticipating States and Partners for Co-operation to strengthen Hackathon “Operation CyberProtect” on the use of their ability to conduct similar simulation training in their home digital platforms for recruitment and exploitation; countries. Lyon, France (19 November 2024)

Policy brief on the misuse of generative AI to OSR/CTHB supported INTERPOL’s “Operation CyberPro- facilitate trafficking in persons; Vienna, Austria tect” hackathon, which focused on detecting, disrupting, (1 November 2024) and dismantling criminal networks exploiting digital platforms for recruitment and exploitation. The event helped national The OSCE and the Bali Process Regional Support Office authorities identify online human trafficking indicators that launched the first-ever policy brief on the misuse of genera- could trigger investigations, and fostered stronger co-oper- tive AI in human trafficking. Law enforcement and technology ation among affected countries, enhancing detection mech- industry experts from across the globe gathered to discuss anisms. One participant noted: “The most valuable outcome the growing risks posed by AI-driven trafficking. Traffickers was identifying a new platform for the recruitment of Brazilian use AI to automate recruitment, create fake personas and victims to the UK—we weren’t aware of this and will ensure co-ordinate cross-border criminal activities, among other it’s shared with UK law enforcement to improve victim iden- methods discussed in the brief. Highlighted was the urgent tification.” The hackathon successfully strengthened interna- need for enhanced law enforcement co-operation to address tional efforts to combat online human trafficking, offering vital such emerging threats. The findings and recommendations insights and collaborative opportunities for all involved. spurred significant engagement with technology compa-

60  2 Police-Related Activities of Field Operations 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.

Spotlight on ▶ Raising awareness to fight gender-based violence; throughout Albania (throughout 2024)

The Presence in Albania, with the support of the Ministry of Interior and the State Police, implemented two awareness-raising campaigns focused on the fight against gender-based violence and on the risks of the misuse of firearms. The digital awareness-raising campaign reached more than three million citizens via TV, radio and social media platforms. The campaign rap song “Leji armet” (Leave the weapons) produced in collaboration with the artist Big Basta had about 400,000 views on YouTube.

The Presence completed a three-month outreach tour in targeted cities in Albania, including Tirana, Elbasan, Lezhe and Shkoder. In co-operation with CSOs and local municipal safety councils, awareness-raising activities were organized with hundreds of participants, including students, teachers and academics. These activities highlighted the importance of engaging and partnering with local community actors in raising awareness.

The campaign song “Leji armet” played a key role in delivering campaign messages to young people. Street installations of “gun violence memory walls” conveyed powerful messages of peace through art. Six “Unheard Voices” video testimonials were created by young people in collaboration with CSOs and shared on social media platforms. A local artist painted an art mural in central Tirana, depicting the devastating consequences of gun violence on families.

A post-campaign survey showed that 77.27 per cent of respondents felt more informed and aware of the consequences of firearm misuse than before the campaign. The outreach activities were co- organized by and part of the project “Assisting the national authorities of the Republic of Albania to decrease the risk of weapon proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW)”, implemented by OSCE Presence in Albania with the financial support of the European Union, France and Germany.

62  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

General police development and reform

Information sessions on P/CVERLT for community -border Co-operation Mechanism supported by the Pres- policing officers and border police; Durrës, Shkodra, ence in Albania. The Mechanism brings together region- Kukës, Korça and Pogradec, Albania al border police directors from Albania and neighbouring (October–November 2024) jurisdictions to discuss and share experiences on irregular migration, information exchange, border controls, joint pa- Police officers from the police directorates in Durrës, Shkod- trolling, and managing seasonal passenger and vehicle influx ra, Kukës, Korça and Pogradec attended a series of train- at crossing points. ing sessions aimed at preventing radicalization and violent extremism. Organized in partnership with Albania’s National Capacity-building for employees of the Police Coordination Center on Countering Violent Extremism, the Oversight Agency; Tirana, Albania (8 April 2024) sessions equipped law enforcement officials from border, community policing and general patrol departments with the To address integrity, public ethics and human rights, the knowledge and strategies needed to identify, prevent and re- Presence delivered a training course for representatives of spond to threats related to violent extremism and radicaliza- the Police Oversight Agency, covering anti-corruption, eth- tion. Early identification, red flags, inter-institutional collabora- ics, human rights, and communication with the media and tion and children’s safety were the main topics of discussion. the public.

Support to the Joint Cross-border Co-operation Workshop to improve co-operation between law Mechanism in the region; Pogradec, Shkoder and enforcement and media; Tirana, Albania Korca, Albania (throughout 2024) (18 September 2024)

A series of cross-border meetings were held at the regional In celebration of #DemocracyWeek, the Presence in Albania level, as well as one meeting at the central level of the re- hosted a workshop for journalist and police media spokes- gion’s Border Police Directors, as part of the Joint Cross- persons. A news reporter emphasized the role of journalists

Ž Mural in Tirana (OSCE)

63 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

and the impact of their interactions with law enforcement on Airport in November 2024 to observe good practices and public perception, while a media professional and a security new detection technologies. expert discussed the need for a code of ethics and security considerations. Regional exhibition of the police service dogs; Tirana, Albania (5–7 June 2024)

Addressing threats posed by The Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the Ministry of criminal activity Interior and the Albanian State Police, organized a regional exhibition of police service dogs to showcase their capabili- ties in detecting narcotics and firearms. K9 units from Tirana, Advanced training sessions on information analysis; Sarajevo, Podgorica, Skopje and Pristina demonstrated obe- Tirana, Albania (26 February–1 March; dience and detection skills during practical sessions open 4–8 March 2024) to the public. Attended by the Minister of the Interior, the General Director of the Albanian State Police, the Head of The Presence in Albania, in collaboration with TNTD/SPMU, the OSCE Presence in Albania as well as donors and inter- conducted two advanced training sessions on information national organizations, the exhibition highlighted the role of analysis to strengthen ILP and enhance the analytical capac- K9 teams in enhancing security and served as a platform for ities of the Albanian State Police. The participants received sharing good practices and experiences across South-East- hands-on training in advanced data analysis, intelligence ern Europe. gathering and risk assessment. The training introduced good practices for processing and interpreting complex in- Peer exchange regarding trafficking in illicit formation, enabling analysts to provide more accurate and firearms; Tirana, Albania (3–4 September 2024) actionable intelligence. It also reinforced intelligence-driven approaches and strengthened collaboration among ana- The Presence in Albania, in collaboration with the ICITAP of lysts, ensuring a more strategic and co-ordinated response the US Department of Justice, organized a workshop on illicit to emerging challenges. firearms trafficking for members of the Albanian State Police Directorate for the Fight against Illicit Trafficking, prosecutors Support to the Albanian State Police Informant from the General Prosecution Office and the Special Struc- Management Unit; Tirana, Albania (4–12 April 2024) ture against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), and in- vestigators from the National Bureau of Investigation. Experts An international expert worked closely with the Albanian from the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and State Police Intelligence and Informant Management Unit to the Dutch National Police shared case studies, good prac- review, refine and integrate a new SOP for informant han- tices, and advanced investigative techniques, equipping par- dling. The expert prepared a comprehensive report outlining ticipants with practical skills to combat firearms trafficking. key findings, conclusions and recommendations for the Al- Interactive discussions strengthened co-operation among banian State Police to consider for strengthening its intelli- law enforcement agencies, improving intelligence gathering, gence management processes. joint investigations and the application of special investiga- tive techniques for effective case-building and prosecution. Training-of-trainers course on forged documents The workshop led to a joint criminal investigation between and imposters; Tirana, Albania (3–7 June 2024) Albania and the Netherlands related to explosives trafficking, resulting in the seizure and confiscation of a large quantity of TNTD/BSMU and the Presence in Albania organized a ToT explosives by the Dutch National Police in close co-operation course on identifying forged documents and impostors at with the Albanian State Police. border-crossing points for officers from the Albanian State Police and the Albanian Border Police. Led by experts from Financial analysis training; Tirana, Albania Italy’s Polizia di Frontiera, the training refreshed the partici- (23–27 September 2024) pants’ knowledge of document security features and inter- national standards, strengthened their technical expertise The Presence in Albania trained police officers and investi- through hands-on exercises with genuine and forged trav- gators in financial analysis and profiling to strengthen pro- el and identification documents, and taught participants active financial investigations. Participants from the Albanian to draft alerts on fraudulent documents. Participants also State Police and the National Bureau of Investigation gained developed training agendas to train fellow border officers. practical experience through real cases and simulated fi- The course concluded with a study visit to Milan Malpensa nancial crime scenarios. Facilitated by the ICITAP of the US Department of Justice, the training improved participants’

64  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

ability to detect suspicious transactions, trace illicit funds and senior officials of the Albanian State Police conducted a and build stronger cases. These skills support more effec- study visit to Italy on operational aspects of financial inves- tive investigations, crime prevention and successful prose- tigations. The visit supported the State Police and SPAK’s cutions, reinforcing Albania’s capacity to combat economic Special Prosecution Office in combating money laundering and organized crime while enhancing financial security and and implementing asset recovery measures to strengthen accountability. the fight against transnational organized crime. In his wel- come address, the Commander General of the Guardia di Training course on covert human intelligence Finanza emphasized the importance of strengthening co-op- sources; Tirana, Albania (21–23 October 2024) eration and identifying illicitly-gained assets. The visit was part of the OSCE Presence’s project “Supporting Albanian The Presence in Albania conducted a training course on in- law enforcement agencies to tackle serious and organ- formant management for the Albanian State Police Inform- ized crime effectively and improve regional co-operation V” ant Management Unit, as well as for participants from the and linked to the OSCE regional project “Strengthening as- National Bureau of Investigation and the Police Oversight set recovery efforts in the OSCE region”, funded by Austria, Agency. Developed in close collaboration with the experts Germany, Italy and the United States. from Dutch National Police and the ICITAP of the US De- partment of Justice, the course provided practical guidance Cyber awareness training for law enforcement; on informant selection, management and operational han- Tirana, Berat and Durrës, Albania dling. Participants gained practical experience in good prac- (16 & 20 December 2024) tices for intelligence gathering, successful operations and cross-border investigations. The training contributed to more Police officers are on the frontline of protecting their com- effective investigations, increased operational security and munities as well as their own services from cyber threats. better co-ordination in fighting crime. To address the growing challenges posed by cyber threats and the safe use of internet, the Presence in Albania orga- Peer exchange on financial investigations; Rome, nized cyber awareness training for members of the Berat and Italy (4–7 November 2024) Durrës Regional Police Directorates. The sessions covered the identification and prevention of cyber threats, good prac- Organized by the Presence in Albania and hosted by the Italian tices for safe internet use, the protection of sensitive data Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate, prosecutors from SPAK and systems, and responses to cybercrime incidents.

Ž Presentation of artwork (OSCE)

65 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 and entity, as well as the State. To adapt as necessary to social and political developments, the structure of the 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 1995 General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina shapes the work of the Mission. The Dayton Agreement 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.

Spotlight on ▶ Back to school – 10th Brčko District Police Summer School; Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina (20–23 August 2024)

The Mission supported the 10th Brčko District Police Summer School, which was held at the Police’s premises. The Mission is a long-standing partner of the annual summer school, offering workshops and presentations. The summer school included theoretical and practical training on topics such as THB, cyber security, first aid, fundamental freedoms and hate crimes. The Mission delivered workshops on fundamental freedoms and combating hate crimes, and distributed reading material about the OSCE’s role in promoting the respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Ž 10th Brčko District Police Summer School (OSCE)

66  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

General police development and reform

Supporting the implementation of intelligence- Protection against Domestic Violence and Violence against led policing (ILP); across Bosnia and Herzegovina Women as well as Criminal Code amendments affecting po- (throughout 2024) lice and judiciary practices.

In May and June 2024, the Mission met with representa- Network of Safety of Journalists Focal Points; tives of law enforcement authorities to assess their needs for Sarajevo and Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina implementing the ILP roadmap. A report followed, outlining (throughout 2024) recommendations for each agency, with a particular focus on key issues, such as the lack of an electronic cross-cantonal Throughout 2024, the Mission strengthened institutional re- data-sharing platform and the need to organize regular re- sponses to incidents and attacks against journalists by build- gional and cross-cantonal meetings on criminal intelligence ing the capacities of the Network of Safety of Journalists Fo- and analysis. cal Points within prosecutors’ offices and police agencies. These activities were carried out in co-ordination with the In July and August 2024, the Mission expanded its out- Council of Europe’s PROFREX project, which, with support reach, meeting with law enforcement authorities and insti- from the Mission and the European Union, organized three tutions across Bosnia and Herzegovina. These discussions training sessions for the Network. gathered feedback on the use of donated analysis software licenses and on recommendations for the development of a Held in Sarajevo (February and December) and Neum rulebook on criminal intelligence affairs. (October), the sessions gathered participants from police agencies, the judiciary, relevant ministries and the media Between September and November 2024, the Mission held community. They focused on strengthening knowledge of a series of consultations with beneficiary agencies and law international standards and national legislation on freedom of enforcement authorities, including the Republika Srpska Min- expression, media freedom and journalist safety, improving istry of Interior, to strengthen criminal intelligence and ana- co-ordination among key stakeholders, and fostering pro- lytical processes. Initial meetings in September focused on active investigations and prosecutions of attacks and threats developing or improving internal instructions, followed by against journalists. October and November sessions assessing needs in intel- ligence management, interagency co-ordination, human re- Support to the adoption of human rights-compliant source management, investigations and analytical work. To laws on peaceful assembly in cantons of the identify areas for improvement, these discussions also ex- Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bihać, amined legal frameworks, organizational structures, staffing, Livno, Ljubuški and Orašje Bosnia and Herzegovina technology and analytical culture. (January–October 2024)

Comprehensive response to gender-based violence ƒ Bihać, Una-Sana Canton (23 January 2024) (GBV); throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina The Una-Sana Canton Assembly adopted the Law on (throughout 2024) Peaceful Assembly, following nearly a year of continuous support from the Mission. This included technical assis- The Mission continues to promote a comprehensive ap- tance, facilitation of meetings, legal reviews, and advo- proach to GBV by supporting institutions, particularly law cacy to ensure harmonization with international human enforcement, and engaging with decision makers, notably rights standards. parliamentary committees. It hosted the Third Review Con- ƒ Livno, Canton 10 (16 April 2024) ference on GBV, opened by the OSCE Secretary General, The Canton 10 Assembly adopted the Law on Peace- and co-organized a side event at the Warsaw Human Di- ful Assembly, concluding a collaborative process with mension Conference in Warsaw, Poland. The Mission devel- the Mission that began in 2021. The Mission provided oped a standardized police response and updated Bosnia technical and legal support, contributed to public con- and Herzegovina police guidelines on GBV, and supported sultations, and advocated for alignment with international training courses on domestic violence response across the standards. country. These efforts led to the approval of the Federation’s ƒ Ljubuški, West-Herzegovina Canton (31 July 2024) Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Domestic Violence On 31 July, the West-Herzegovina Canton Assembly and contributed to ongoing deliberations on a new Law on adopted new laws on peaceful assembly, developed

67 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

through ongoing co-operation with the Mission since Training of police officers on newly adopted laws 2022. The Mission welcomed this as a key step towards on freedom of peaceful assembly in cantons of the full compliance with international human rights and OSCE Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bihać, Livno commitments. and Orašje, Bosnia and Herzegovina ƒ Orašje, Posavina Canton (16 October 2024) (May–December 2024) The Posavina Canton Assembly adopted a new Law on Peaceful Assemblies, following extensive consultations ƒ Bihać, Una-Sana Canton (16 May 2024) with the Mission. The law is fully aligned with internation- In co-operation with the Una-Sana Canton Ministry of al human rights standards and OSCE human dimension Interior, the Mission conducted training for mid-manage- commitments. ment police officers. The session focused on the new legislative provisions introduced in the recently adopted Promotion of newly adopted legislation on peaceful Law on Peaceful Assembly, using practical examples re- assembly in cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and lated to the policing of assemblies. Herzegovina; Zenica, Bihać, Vitez and Livno, Bosnia ƒ Livno, Canton 10 (23 July 2024) and Herzegovina (March–November 2024) The Mission, together with the Canton 10 Ministry of In- terior, organized a training for 27 mid-management po- ƒ Zenica, Zenica-Doboj Canton (6 March 2024) lice officers to support the implementation of the newly Following the adoption of the Laws on Freedom of adopted Law on Peaceful Assembly. The session high- Peaceful Assembly and Public Events in November lighted legal novelties and their practical application in 2023, the Mission organized a presentation in Zenica and operational policing. conducted training for 31 police officers on the interna- ƒ Orašje, Posavina Canton (4 December 2024) tional standards that were incorporated into the new leg- A one-day training session was held in collaboration with islation. Additionally, the Mission supported the printing the Posavina Canton Ministry of Interior on the new Laws of 500 leaflets and 50 posters to be distributed across on Peaceful Assembly and Public Events. The training police stations in the Canton. The adoption followed a focused on familiarizing police officers with the content two-year drafting process involving the Mission and inter- and implementation of the new legal framework, which national partners, including the EU Delegation in Bosnia was developed with the Mission’s support to align fully and Herzegovina, the Office of the High Representative, with international standards. and the UN. ƒ Bihać, Una-Sana Canton (14 March 2024) Meeting with the Ministry of Interior of Republika To promote the newly adopted Law on Peaceful Assem- Srpska on police data recording; Banja Luka, Bosnia bly, the Mission produced and distributed promotional and Herzegovina (7 February 2024) materials, including posters and leaflets. It also joined the TV show Aktuelno on Una-Sana TV, together with the The Mission held a working-level meeting with technical staff Cantonal Ministry of Interior and a law professor, to fur- of the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska to discuss im- ther raise public awareness about the new legislation14. provements to police data recording, specifically in the area ƒ Vitez, Central Bosnia Canton (26 September 2024) of hate crimes. This was a follow-up activity to a workshop The Mission supported a presentation to police officers organized in collaboration with OSCE/ODIHR in April 2022 of the new Laws on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly that focused on the issue of hate crime data recording. Dur- and Public Events. The laws, adopted on 30 July 2024, ing the meeting, participants reviewed the ODIHR draft report were the result of a two-year drafting process involving with specific recommendations, informing the final proposals the Cantonal Ministry of Interior and the Mission, as well for improving the recording and reporting of hate crimes. as international partners. In addition to the presentation, 400 leaflets and 50 posters were printed for dissemina- Project cycle management training course tion to all police stations in the canton. for representatives from the Canton 10 police ƒ Livno, Canton 10 (21 November 2024) administration; Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina The Mission delivered promotional materials on the Law (27–28 February 2024) on Peaceful Assemblies to the Canton 10 Ministry of In- terior, in line with the Ministry’s Annual Training Plan and The Mission organized a project cycle management training ongoing collaboration with the Mission. course for the police administration of Canton 10. The po- lice administration had expressed a need for such a training course and delegated police officers and civil servants to participate in it. The Mission delivered a comprehensive train- 14 See the TV show here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jYoOFG1i-M ing course with in-house trainers focusing on two objectives:

68  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

preventing domestic violence and improving communication Field visit of the Bosnia and Herzegovina services and tools. Parliamentary Assembly Citizens’ Complaint Board to border-crossing points; Čapljina, Neum and Local cohesion plans and response protocols for Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina (22–23 May 2024) bias-related incidents; Konjic and Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina (February–March 2024) The Mission facilitated a field visit by the Parliamentary As- sembly Citizens’ Complaint Board to six border crossing The mayor of Konjic adopted a local three-year Community points near Čapljina, Neum and Trebinje, including the Joint Cohesion Action Plan and a protocol for responding to bi- Police Co-operation Centre. The Board collected information as-related incidents. Both documents, prepared by the local on staffing, infrastructure and procedures, with findings and multi-stakeholder Action Plan working group, which includes recommendations shared with the Parliamentary Assembly the local police, define specific roles for the police and estab- to take action for improving professional work standards. lish co-ordination mechanisms with the city administration to The activity formed part of the Mission’s broader efforts to strengthen community cohesion and address bias-related strengthen parliamentary oversight of the security sector and cases. Using the same model, OSCE-led dialogues in Čapl- improve the operational and management capacities of law jina engaged members of its Community Cohesion Action enforcement agencies. Plan working group, which includes the local police and ele- mentary school directors. Meeting of the Working Group on Inter-institutional Dialogue and Gender Analysis on SALW; Teslić, Advanced training-of-trainers course on SALW Bosnia and Herzegovina (12–14 June 2024) control and management for law enforcement agencies; Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina The Mission organized a meeting of the Working Group on (25–28 March 2024) Inter-institutional Dialogue and Gender Analysis on SALW. Representatives from women’s police associations and the The Mission organized an advanced ToT course on SALW Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed control and management, covering safe SALW storage, risk ways to raise awareness of firearms misuse in gender-based assessments and mitigation strategies. The course gathered violence and to support women’s leadership in law enforce- participants from various law enforcement agencies from ment. The meeting emphasized the urgent need for co-ordi- across Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as national and in- nated action among law enforcement authorities in response ternational experts, including from the Austrian Ministry of to the rising number of cases involving femicide and domes- Defence. The course took place at the SALW storage site of tic violence. It also highlighted key barriers to women’s career Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Ministry of Interior. It combined advancement in police forces, including sexual harassment theoretical sessions with practical exercises, and featured and workplace discrimination. the presentation of newly published Guidelines for SALW Management in Police Organizations, which was prepared Training of police officers in Canton 10; Livno, with the help of the Mission. Bosnia and Herzegovina (5 September 2024)

Co-ordination meeting with Bosnia and Herzegovina In collaboration with the Ministry of Interior of Canton 10, the Ministries of Interior on issues of fundamental Mission delivered a training course to police officers on in- freedoms; Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina ternational human rights standards and the legal framework (24 April 2024) governing freedom of media. The new model for the protec- tion of journalists was presented, and an operating protocol The Mission and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministries of for police in cases of attacks against journalists was pub- Interior hosted a co-ordination meeting with all Ministers of lished. Guidelines for co-operation between the media and Interior, police commissioners and police directors to discuss police were also introduced to enhance collaboration and the current state of affairs regarding freedom of peaceful as- ensure mutual understanding of their respective roles. sembly legislation across the Federation. Training for police officials on proactive criminal investigations; Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina (29 October & 18 November 2024)

In co-operation with the Cantonal Prosecutor Office in Her- zegovina-Neretva Canton, the Mission offered two training courses for police officials from three police administrations

69 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

on good practices in proactive investigations. The training of small arms, ammunition and explosives, fostered intera- aimed to improve investigation quality and strengthen co-op- gency collaboration and raised public awareness. Fifteen K9 eration between police and prosecution. It featured three teams underwent intensive training, culminating in a public core panels: proactive evidence collection techniques; the competition in Sarajevo showcasing their skills in narcotics, duties and responsibilities of police investigators, including firearms and explosives detection, as well as obedience. The their legal obligations during investigations; and evidence event emphasized the need for on-going capacity-building. collection with a focus on legality and admissibility in court. The recently published Guidelines and Training Manual, pre- pared with Mission support, will help standardize practices Co-ordination meeting between police officers and across law enforcement. social welfare centres on child begging referral mechanisms in Zenica-Doboj Canton; Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina (25 September 2024) Addressing threats posed by criminal activity The Mission facilitated a co-ordination meeting between po- lice officers and social welfare centres in Zenica-Doboj Can- ton to discuss child begging as a form of THB. Organized Strengthening the analytical capacities of law after consultations with Roma NGOs and relevant social wel- enforcement in criminal intelligence processes; fare centres, the meeting emphasized the need for stronger Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (4–9 March 2024) police involvement and improved mechanisms to combat organized exploitation in connection with child begging. The Mission facilitated hands-on training on the use of the Participants agreed on the need for intensified stakeholder analysis software for analysts from cantonal police admin- co-operation, as well as regular training on street begging as istrations, the Indirect Taxation Agency, and the Republika a form of THB and organized crime. Srpska Ministry of Interior’s Administration for Police Educa- tion. This initiative was part of the Mission’s broader efforts to Training for civil servants and law enforcement increase the analytical capacity of law enforcement authori- authorities in Republika Srpska on public sector ties and institutions. audits; Trebinje, Istočno Sarajevo and Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (11–14 November 2024) Training on the misuse of SALW in the context of GBV; Tarčin, Bosnia and Herzegovina Building on its earlier initiatives—developing the Glossary of (12–14 March 2024) Audit Terminology in 2022 and conducting training work- shops in 2023—the Mission organized a series of advanced The Mission organized a training session on the misuse of training sessions titled “Public Sector Audit: The Role and SALW in the context of GBV, aiming to promote gender Importance of Audit Reports for Corruption Prevention”. The mainstreaming in SALW control, raise institutional awareness sessions, held in Trebinje, Istočno Sarajevo and Banja Luka, on the relationship between SALW and GBV, and discuss aimed to strengthen stakeholders’ practical application of strategies to prevent firearm misuse in GBV cases. Partici- the Glossary and enhance institutional capacity to combat pants included members of Women in Police Associations corruption. Participants included civil servants, law enforce- from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Repub- ment officers, tax administration officers, and judiciary rep- lika Srpska, along with representatives from the Ministry of resentatives, who reflected on their experience with audit Security. reports, improved their understanding of public audit docu- ments, and developed practical skills in using the Glossary. Official handover of IT equipment for criminal The training sessions emphasized the role of public audit re- intelligence analysis; Sarajevo, Bosnia and ports in identifying potential corruption and bridging the gap Herzegovina (26 March 2024) between prevention and enforcement. The Mission donated 42 computers and 14 analysis soft- Competition between national K-9 units; Konjic and ware licenses to law enforcement authorities and institutions Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina across Bosnia and Herzegovina. This equipment and soft- (15–19 December 2024) ware will strengthen the capacities of criminal intelligence departments and support the establishment of sustainable In partnership with the Mine Detection Dog Center, the Mis- capacities at two entity-level and one State-level law enforce- sion organized a training session and competition for law ment training institutions. enforcement K9 units from across Bosnia and Herzegovi- na. The initiative enhanced the capabilities of K9 detection

70  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

Workshop on investigations into THB; Livno, Bosnia Conference on the prevention of juvenile and Herzegovina (9 May 2024) delinquency in Tuzla Canton; Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (20 to 21 June 2024) The Mission organized a workshop on THB investigations for middle-management officers and investigators of the The Mission supported the International Conference on the Canton 10 Ministry of Interior. Participants learned about the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, hosted by Tuzla Univer- work of the Cantonal co-ordination team on THB, the rele- sity. The event included a multisectoral round table and panel vant legal framework, elements of the criminal offence and sessions, attracting participants from law enforcement, the key indicators of THB. The practical segment included real judiciary, correctional and disciplinary institutions, education, cases, covering the full process from investigation to final healthcare, cantonal ministries, youth-focused NGOs and in- court decisions, with a special focus on victims. ternational organizations.

Police training on migration issues, including Training course on the implementation of the CTHB; Trebinje, Foča and Gorazde, Bosnia and Juvenile Justice Act in Brčko District; Brčko, Bosnia Herzegovina (21–23 May 2024) and Herzegovina (28–30 August 2024)

The Mission, together with UN agencies (IOM, UNDSS, The Mission supported the Judicial Commission of Brčko UNICEF, UNHCR) and the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs District to organize a training course for representatives from within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Ministry of Security, organ- the police, social and health services, judiciary, and defence ized workshops for local police officers on issues related to counsels on implementing the Juvenile Justice Act, a law on migration. The training improved the knowledge of police of- the protection and treatment of children and juveniles in crim- ficers of applicable legal frameworks on CTHB in the context inal proceedings. of migration. High-level conference on the effective prosecution Training course on detecting terrorist travel; of terrorism cases; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (21–23 May 2024) Herzegovina (25–27 September 2024)

To strengthen the capacity of authorities to disrupt terrorist The Mission organized a high-level conference on the pros- travel, the Mission organized a specialized training course ecution of terrorism cases, gathering judges, prosecutors, for border police officers. The training focused on detect- and legal associates from the Court of Bosnia and Herze- ing forged travel documents through relevant databases, govina and the Prosecutor’s Office, as well as experts from profiling potential terrorists (including FTFs), and preventing the OSCE Secretariat, Eurojust, Germany, the Netherlands their movement. Case studies highlighted the importance of and the United States. Discussions covered key elements multi-agency co-operation and timely information exchange of terrorism-related offenses, evidence collection, terrorism in countering terrorist travel. financing, and links to international core crimes, with a fo- cus on procedural and substantive complexities in conflict- Workshops for police officers from the Zvornik -related cases. The conference formed part of the Mission’s police administration; Zvornik and Šekovići, Bosnia broader efforts to strengthen the capacities of authorities and and Herzegovina (5, 6 & 12 June 2024) the judiciary to prosecute terrorism cases, emphasizing the need for on-going international co-operation and expertise. The Mission facilitated three workshops on hate crime pro- cessing for police officers under the Zvornik police adminis- Support for the finalization of the “Rulebook for tration, primarily aimed at field officers and station shift lead- the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering ers. Prosecutors from the Bijeljina public prosecutor’s office and Financing of Terrorism”; Sarajevo, Bosnia and provided practical guidance on reporting bias incidents. The Herzegovina (October–December 2024) sessions, presented by the Police Station Commander and the Mission, covered the legal framework, police operational The Mission provided support to Bosnia and Herzegovina standards and bias indicators, and included interactive dis- authorities and the working group to finalize the draft “Rule- cussions on case studies. book for the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism”. The working group brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including State-level Ministries, institutions of Brčko District, as well as banking agencies of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and

71 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Republika Srpska, the State Investigation and Protection Training course on preventing and combating the Agency, and notaries. illegal trade in art, cultural goods and archaeological artifacts; Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina Mediterranean simulation-based anti-trafficking (29–31 October 2024) training exercise; Vicenza, Italy (7–12 October 2024) In co-operation with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Agency for The Mission and a national expert participated in a Mediter- Education and Professional Development of Personnel, and ranean regional simulation-based training exercise on CTHB the Centre Against Trafficking of Works of Art, the Mission at the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units in Vicen- facilitated a training course on preventing and combating za, Italy. The Mission contributed its expertise to the course, illegal trade in art, cultural goods and archaeological artifacts. which brought together participants from Mediterranean Members of customs, border officers as well as represent- countries to strengthen victim-centred skills. atives of the judiciary, academia and civil society learned about illicit trafficking and cultural property protection. Co-ordination meetings on seized property management; West Herzegovina Canton & Sarajevo Workshop for police officers and social workers on Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina early phases of domestic violence investigations; (8 & 22 October 2024) Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (5 November & 3 December 2024) The Mission supported two round tables organized by the Federal Agency for the Management of Confiscated Proper- The Mission organized two workshops for police officers ty, gathering representatives from the Agency and the Bosnia and social workers on the early phases of domestic violence and Herzegovina judicial police, as well as, at the first round investigations. Discussions focused on the importance of table, the West Herzegovina Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office, collecting corroborative evidence and conducting substan- the Municipal and Cantonal Court in Široki Brijeg and, at the tive risk assessments to enable effective protective meas- second, judges and prosecutors from Sarajevo Canton and ures and prevent escalation. Led by an experienced police a judge from Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde. The event officer and a judge (former prosecutor), the workshops also served as a platform to discuss the challenges in execut- addressed key challenges faced by law enforcement and ing judicial asset confiscation orders, improving pre-seizure prosecutors in handling such cases. planning, and strengthening the Agency’s co-operation with the above judicial institutions. Workshop on the intersection of counter-terrorism, human rights and fundamental freedoms; Brčko, UNHCR training-of-trainers course on mixed Bosnia and Herzegovina (15 November 2024) migration flows for the Sarajevo Police; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (17 October 2024) The Mission organized a workshop on the intersection of counter-terrorism, human rights and fundamental freedoms, The Mission participated in a UNHCR ToT course on mixed gathering representatives from various sectors, including migration flows, aimed at familiarizing senior police officers security, education, social welfare, healthcare, judiciary and with international and national legal and human rights stand- civil society. Discussions focused on the impact of laws ards for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. The Mis- and security policies on freedoms such as religion, belief sion’s presentation highlighted the distinction between hu- and expression, as well as on other universal human rights, man trafficking and migrant smuggling, as well as challenges enhancing the participants’ understanding of international in identifying, protecting and supporting trafficking victims obligations and commitments. along migration routes. Training course for police officials of Tuzla Canton Multi-disciplinary workshop for stakeholders on on conducting criminal investigation of domestic addressing domestic violence; Tuzla, Bosnia and violence cases; Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina Herzegovina (17 October 2024) (22 November 2024)

The Mission facilitated a multi-disciplinary workshop on ad- The Mission facilitated a training course for police officers in dressing domestic violence, bringing together police, social Tuzla Canton on the criminal investigation of domestic vio- services and the judiciary to discuss their approaches to the lence cases, with participation from cantonal prosecutors issue. The workshop highlighted the complexity of multi-sec- and judges of the Tuzla Municipal Court. The course empha- tor responses to domestic violence and prompted discus- sized a co-ordinated, multi-disciplinary and victim-centred sions on current practices. approach, covering the legal framework, institutional roles,

72  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

evidence collection and victim protection. Discussions high- Participants also shared their experiences with prejudice, lighted the need for systematic risk assessments, stronger bias incidents and hate crimes in their local communities. collaboration between police, prosecutors, social services and NGOs, and harmonized interpretations of procedural Multi-sectoral workshop on victim-centred rules and the law on protection against domestic violence. approaches in response to domestic violence in Canton Sarajevo; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Hate crimes training course for junior police officers (28–29 November 2024) from Canton 10; Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina (26 November 2024) The mission organized a multisectoral workshop which gath- ered police officers, social services, prosecutors, judges and The Mission organized a training course on identifying NGOs from Sarajevo Canton. The first day was focused on and processing hate crimes for junior police officers from introducing police officers to key aspects of collecting evi- Canton 10. The course covered the concept of hate crimes, dence in domestic violence cases, with a focus on the pro- the legal framework, indicators, reporting and processing, as tection of victims of violence in the initial stages of proceed- well as key findings on the underreporting of such crimes. ings. The second day was dedicated to discussions on the response of criminal justice to domestic violence.

Ž 10th Brčko District Police Summer School (OSCE)

73 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Round table on executing judicial confiscation Targeting areas such as Srebrenica, Vlasenica, Milići, Kozluk, orders; Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina Šekovići and Osmaci—where such incidents were previously (3 December 2024) common—the workshop presented the concept and legal framework of hate crimes. Participants discussed priority The Mission supported the Federal Agency for the Man- activities, unanimously agreeing that preventive work with agement of Seized Assets in organizing a round table that young people is essential. brought together judiciary representatives from the Herze- govina Neretva Canton and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Training course on war crime investigations Judicial Police. Representatives of the Herzegovina Neretva for Prijedor District Public Prosecutor’s Office Canton Prosecutor’s Office, the Cantonal Court in Mostar, and Police Administration; Prijedor, Bosnia and the Municipal Court in Mostar, the Municipal Court in Čapljina Herzegovina (5 December 2024) and the Municipal Court in Čitluk discussed the challenges in enforcing asset seizure orders. They also explored ways to Facilitated by the Mission, an experienced prosecutor of enhance co-operation between the Agency and the courts Public Prosecutor’s Office of Republika Srpska delivered a in implementing the Law on the Seizure of Illegally Acquired training course on investigative techniques and methods in Assets through Criminal Acts. war crimes investigations for Prijedor’s District Public Prose- cutor’s Office and Police Administration. The training covered Hate crimes workshop for police officers from indictment preparation, co-operation between prosecutors Zvornik police administration; Zvornik, Bosnia and and police, working with and protecting vulnerable witnesses Herzegovina (5 December 2024) and evidence collection. Participants reviewed adjudicated cases, discussed challenges in processing war crimes, and The Mission facilitated a workshop on hate crimes for first- examined practical examples and strategies to overcome line police responders from Zvornik, focusing on commu- obstacles. nity-based prevention to reduce bias-motivated incidents.

74  2.1.3 Mission in Kosovo

Introduction

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo (the Mission) was established on 1 July 1999, and was tasked with a leading role in institution- and democracy-building, rule of law and human rights in Kosovo. It is mandated with the protection and promotion of human and community rights, as well as to support democratization and the development of the public safety sector. Building on past support and achievements, the Mission continues to prioritize capacity-building and strategic improvements of the public safety and security sector, in line with good international practices.

Spotlight on ▶ Training programme for anti-narcotics police investigators; Pristina region, Kosovo (September 2024–February 2025)

The Mission, in partnership with the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and the Kosovo Police, conducted a specialized training programme for anti-narcotics investigators. The initiative focused on boosting operational safety and effectiveness in narcotics-related investigations, following a joint needs assessment and in response to a tragic 2020 explosion that killed one officer and injured several others. The programme began with a formal exchange of letters between the OSCE and EULEX in June 2024, confirming their joint commitment to enhancing the Kosovo Police’s capacity to operate in high-risk environments.

Training highlights

The first module, launched in September, involved 40 Koso- blast injuries and stabbings—risks common in high-profile vo Police officers split into two groups. Delivered by experts anti-drug operations. Officers were certified in the use of from the two missions, the course covered: automated external defibrillators and trained in advanced airway management techniques. To support operations in ƒ Improvised explosive device awareness and counter- the field, the Mission donated 3,000 narcotics test kits and measures; professional scales to the Kosovo Police’s Directorate for In- ƒ Safe handling of hazardous materials; vestigation of Trafficking in Narcotics, enabling rapid on-site ƒ Facility and vehicle search techniques; drug identification and efficient evidence handling. Additional ƒ Tactical shooting in hostile environments. training on tactical medicine expanded the officers’ expertise in trauma care, life-saving interventions, and battlefield first Participants also trained with both professional and impro- aid for high-threat scenarios. vised tools during practical exercises hosted by the Kosovo Police Special Operations Unit, ensuring a hands-on, immer- The final module included the handover of twelve tactical sive learning experience. backpacks containing mission-essential gear such as par- acord rope, a multi-tool, a telescopic mirror, a headlamp, a Later in September, a second module trained 33 officers in power bank, and a comprehensive first aid kit. Officers were operational first aid, focusing on managing gunshot wounds, also trained on the effective use of this equipment in the field.

75 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

A trusted partnership General police development and reform “The Mission has been a key partner in strengthening our ef- forts against narcotics trafficking,” said Major Reshat Murseli, Head of the Kosovo Police Directorate for Investigation of Local public safety committee (LPSC) initiatives Trafficking in Narcotics. “This training wasn’t just about new to increase community safety; Vushtrri/Vučitrn, skills—it was a response to past losses. We now feel bet- Skënderaj/Srbica, Junik, Gjakovë/Đakovica, and ter prepared to protect ourselves and our communities. The Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Kosovo equipment and expertise provided, especially the test kits (concluded on 14 February 2024) and tactical backpacks, are helping us work more efficiently and safely.” The Mission implemented six impactful LPSC projects with the aim to increase safety, security and liveability across Major Murseli also acknowledged the OSCE’s role in shaping Kosovo. Specifically, it helped: Kosovo’s Strategy Against Narcotics 2025–2027, emphasiz- ing the value of continued co-operation in the fight against ƒ Two LPSCs from Vushtrri/Vučitrn in equipping a primary drug-related crime across the country. school with laptops and furniture, and in installing securi- ty cameras at the town youth centre;

Ž Firearms training (OSCE/Leurina Mehmeti)

76  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

ƒ LPSC Komoran/Komorane (Gllogoc/Glogovac munici- focusing on community policing concepts, guiding principles pality) in installing 200 meters of safety barriers on the and strategies to strengthen police–public partnerships in road near the local school, as well as the LPSC Junik, preventing and response. Participants also learned about the (Gjakovë/Đakovica municipality) in installing 23 traffic factors driving youth exposure to extremism, recruitment and convex mirrors, along with the donation of IT equipment radicalization processes, as well as the dangers and charac- and office supplies; teristics of VERLT and their role in countering it.

ƒ An LPSC from Gjakovë/Đakovica with installation of traf- Support for implementing the TAHCLE programme fic signs, speed bumps, as well as replacement of con- (Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement); vex traffic mirrors for increased traffic safety; Pristina, Kosovo (27 February & 25 November 2024)

ƒ An LPSC from Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North with construc- The Mission, in co-operation with ODIHR, supported the tion of 70 metres of asphalt and 45 metres of sewage Kosovo Police in organizing two working group meetings pipe laid in the area of the village Brdjani/Kroi i Vitakut to review the results of the TAHCLE programme, bringing where Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb communities together representatives from various Kosovo Police units, live together. the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, the Ombudsperson Institution, prosecution bodies, CSOs and others. The pro- Advanced training course on strengthening gramme included a letter of exchange, signed by all parties, institutional integrity; Pristina, Kosovo outlining obligations for the Kosovo Police to cascade the (26–27 February 2024) training to all officers. During the meetings, the Kosovo Police reported that nearly 1,200 officers had attended hate crime The Mission delivered an advanced training course on response training programmes and workshops in 2023 and strengthening institutional integrity for participants from the 2024. Recommendations for 2024 included supplementing Kosovo Police, Tax Administration, and Agency for Preven- the training curriculum, expanding modules on hate speech, tion of Corruption. The course addressed the comprehensive and delivering awareness-raising lectures for young stu- integrity framework, covering concepts applicable to both dents, among other measures. personal and institutional integrity. Case studies, practical ex- ercises and questionnaires encouraged constructive debate Second Regional Meeting of Experts on Advancing and the exchange of experiences, ideas and opinions among the Canine Regulatory Framework; Durrës, Albania the participants. (28–29 February 2024)

LPSC round tables to raise awareness of trafficking The Mission accompanied two officers of the Kosovo Police in human beings; Prizren, Pejë/Peć, Pristina, and Canine Unit to the Second Regional Meeting of Experts on Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kosovo (26 February– Advancing the Canine Regulatory Framework, organized by 18 October 2024) the OSCE Presence in Albania. The meeting gathered rep- resentatives from South-Eastern Europe jurisdictions to ex- The Mission supported four round tables facilitated by the change insights and good practices on canine medical care Kosovo Police in close co-operation with LPSCs from six and behavioural development. Each jurisdiction presented its police regions, bringing together participants from different methods for selecting dogs across various police disciplines, communities. These discussions strengthened co-operation with particular focus on training challenges related to SALW between LPSCs, the Kosovo Police and relevant institutions, and explosives. including local NGOs. The participants learned about legal frameworks on CTHB, early identification of potential victims, Round tables on youth involvement in community risks of recruitment via social networks, and access to local safety initiatives; Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pristina, Prizren, victim support services. and Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Kosovo (28 February–4 April 2024) Workshops for new sectorial police officers on the risk of violent extremism and radicalization that The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in organizing four lead to terrorism (VERLT); Pejë/Peć, Pristina, Gjilan/ round tables to foster inter-ethnic community relations and Gnjilane, and Prizren, Kosovo strengthen co-operation through trust-building initiatives fo- (27 February–7 March 2024) cused on police–youth relations. The events brought togeth- er young people from different communities, members of The Mission and Kosovo Police experts delivered training LPSCs and municipal community safety councils (MCSCs), workshops to frontline police officers on the risks of VERLT, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Youth,

77 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Kosovo Police, an NGO and EULEX. Participants learned tion service, Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), tax administra- about youth-related legislation and strategic documents at tion, customs and Agency for Management of Sequestrated both local and central levels, aimed at improving opportuni- and Confiscated Assets, as well as the Basic Court of Pris- ties and support for young men and women. tina—learned about ILP and the collection and analysis of open-source data. Workshop to review evaluation protocols for newly admitted prisoners; Pristina, Kosovo Workshops to enhance information-gathering (5–7 March 2024) capacities of regional police traffic units; Pejë/Peć, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pristina, and Prizren, Kosovo The Mission organized a workshop to facilitate the revision (19–28 March 2024) of the Kosovo Correctional Service assessment and re-as- sessment tools for newly admitted prisoners, in accordance The Mission facilitated four workshops to enhance the infor- with international good practices. During the workshop, the mation gathering capacities of officers from the Kosovo Po- participants discussed the SOPs of the Unit for Evaluation lice Regional Traffic Units in accordance with the Integrated and Classification of Convicts. They discussed the tools and Intelligence-led and Community Policing Strategy and Action methods used to evaluate convicts, officers’ responses, Plan 2021–2025. The training sessions addressed the need sources of information for professional evaluations, and the for all Kosovo Police structures and other relevant units to factors underlying risk assessments. participate in intelligence processes. They covered better resource planning and utilization, the use of analytical prod- Meeting to exchange experiences and good ucts, proactive measures, event anticipation over interven- practices in internal police investigations; Pristina, tion, and strategies for addressing criminal trends. Kosovo (7 March 2024) Participation of the Association of Women in Kosovo The Mission supported the Kosovo Police Internal Investi- Police in the Global Conference on Gender Equality gation Unit in organizing a working meeting that gathered in the Police; Budva, Montenegro officers from internal investigation units of all eight regional (25–28 March 2024) police directorates. The workshop served as a platform to discuss current challenges and share information and expe- The Mission facilitated a visit to Montenegro for members of riences regarding internal investigations among the partici- the Association of Women in Kosovo Police, who participat- pating police officers. ed in the Global Conference on Gender Equality in the Police.

Information session for non-majority communities Workshop for sharing good regional practices on on reporting mechanisms for domestic and gender- the protection and reintegration of victims; Pristina, based violence; Ferizaj/Uroševac, Kosovo Kosovo (27 March 2024) (7 March 2024) The Mission facilitated a workshop on good regional practic- The Mission, together with the Kosovo Ashkali-led youth es for victim protection and reintegration, bringing together NGO BRAN, the Kosovo Police and the USAID Justice Ac- representatives from Centres for Social Work across Kosovo. tivity, organized an information session on mechanisms for Recognizing common challenges faced by regional jurisdic- reporting domestic and gender-based violence and access- tions in supporting trafficking victims and other vulnerable ing services for victims and survivors. Held as part of the victim groups, the workshop provided a platform for focused Mission’s activities marking International Women’s Day, the discussions on various relevant topics. Experienced social event gathered women from the Kosovo Ashkali and Kosovo service practitioners engaged in presentations, case studies Roma communities. and discussions to compare legal frameworks and practices with North Macedonia. Training course on ILP for integrated financial investigations to combat organized crime; Pristina, Workshop to review the Regional and Community Kosovo (18–19 March 2024) Risk Assessments for Natural and Other Disasters; Pristina, Kosovo (16–18 April 2024) The Mission conducted a training course on ILP analytics for integrated financial investigations to combat organized The Mission supported the Pristina Directorate for Security crime. Participants from key institutions—including Kosovo’s and Emergencies to organize a workshop for 18 participants Police Directorate for Investigation of Economic Crimes and to review or draft municipal Community Risk Assessments Corruption, Agency for Prevention of Corruption, prosecu- for Natural and Other Disasters. Locally identified risks were

78  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

added to the central document to ensure that all significant Advanced training course on investigating migration hazards and threats with potential for substantial impact or cases; Pristina, Kosovo (22 April 2024) critical incidents are catalogued, with corresponding mitiga- tions and contingencies. The Mission conducted an advanced training course for Kosovo Police officers on investigating migration cases. The Training on community policing for new LPSCs; goal of the training was to increase the participants’ knowl- Pristina, Kosovo (16 April–16 May 2024) edge on migrant smuggling, especially on the modus op- erandi of organized crime groups typically using Western The Mission facilitated a series of training sessions on com- Balkan routes, with an emphasis on early identification of munity policing for members of three new LPSCs from Skë trafficking victims among the migrants. nderaj/Srbica municipality and one from Ranilug/Ranillug. New LPSC members received guidance on key components Training courses on emergency responses for of developing project proposals for the Mission to later im- community safety forums; Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Kosovo plement in support of LPSC community safety initiatives. (22–26 April & 21–25 October 2024) In addition, the Mission facilitated community meetings to strengthen members’ capacity to identify and effectively ad- The Mission supported the Kosovo Emergency Manage- dress safety issues, fostering relationships with local com- ment Agency in delivering two training courses for partici- munities, municipal officials, police and other partners. pants from LPSCs, MCSCs and community members from nine municipalities to enhance community risk resilience. The Kosovo Correctional Service international donors training covered emergency management principles, first aid, meeting; Pristina, Kosovo (17 April 2024) firefighting equipment, wildfire response, emergency evacu- ations, and the use of fire extinguishers. Practical exercises The Mission supported the Kosovo Correctional Service included hands-on training with firefighting equipment during (KSO) in organizing its first large-scale donor co-ordination live fire scenarios. meeting to promote the work of the KSO and to explore av- enues for funding the newly approved Kosovo Correctional Awareness-raising activity on domestic violence; Service Strategic Development Plan 2023–2027. The meet- Gjakovë/Đakovica, Kosovo (23 April 2024) ing gathered senior representatives from the Ministry of Jus- tice, diplomatic missions, EULEX, the EU Office in Kosovo, The Mission supported the Gjakovë/Đakovica Municipal Co- the Council of Europe, the Turkish Cooperation and Coor- ordination Mechanisms Against Domestic Violence in organ- dination Agency, and the NGO HELP. KSO representatives izing an awareness-raising activity for social studies teach- presented current needs and challenges, emphasizing the ers and school psychologists of upper elementary schools. importance of advancing the correctional system to effective- Presentations by Mechanism members and a Mission rep- ly address contemporary demands. resentative addressed domestic and gender-based violence and related legal frameworks. The activity also included in- Training courses on dealing with perpetrators formation sessions on the new Law on Domestic Violence of domestic violence with substance addictions; (adopted in September 2023) and the Guidelines for Effective Pristina, Kosovo (18–19 & 29–30 April 2024) Performance of the Mechanisms, published by the Mission in 2023. The Mission conducted two training courses for officers of the Kosovo Probation Service on managing domestic vio- Round tables to increase community awareness on lence perpetrators with substance addictions. The courses the dangers of VERLT; Pejë/Peć, Prizren, and Gjilan/ focused on developing comprehensive rehabilitation and pre- Gnjilane, Kosovo (23 & 25–26 April 2024) vention approaches of domestic violence perpetrators, iden- tifying the intersection of domestic violence and substance The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in facilitating three abuse, and strengthening risk assessment and management round tables to raise awareness of VERLT for representa- skills. Participants also discussed good practices for proba- tives of religious communities, senior Kosovo police officers, tion supervision and treatment, as well as the importance of municipal education directors, and community safety forum collaboration with other agencies and service providers. members from across Kosovo. The discussions emphasized the complexity and unpredictability of terrorism and violent extremism, underlining the need for tailored central and local action plans and a “whole of society” approach involving civil society.

79 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Training course on crisis communication for police Training workshops on psychological aspects of and media; Lipjan/Lipljane, Kosovo domestic violence; Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Kosovo (24–30 April 2024) (2 May–14 June 2024)

The Mission, together with the Association of Journalists The Mission facilitated three training workshops for domestic of Kosovo and the Kosovo Police, organized a crisis man- violence officers from all eight regional police directorates of agement training course for journalists and media workers the Kosovo Police, focused on addressing the psychological from diverse communities. The hands-on training aimed to needs of domestic violence victims and the psychological improve collaboration between police and media profession- well-being of police officers handling such cases. Partici- als—including journalists, camera operators and support pants learned to identify vulnerable elements, understand the staff—to enhance their safety while performing their duties. impact of victimization, and apply practical communication It also strengthened joint efforts to ensure accurate and swift techniques. Discussions also covered the legal framework dissemination of critical information. and the role of community policing in combating domestic violence, with particular emphasis on supporting the mental Dragash/Dragaš Municipal Coordination Mechanism health of officers involved in such investigations. Against Domestic Violence hosts Head of OSCE Mission in Kosovo; Dragash/Dragaš, Kosovo Advanced training course on investigating virtual (29 April 2024) assets; Pristina, Kosovo (7–8 May 2024)

The Municipal Coordination Mechanism Against Domestic The Mission conducted an advanced training course on in- Violence in the Dragash/Dragaš organized a meeting be- vestigating virtual assets, including the tracking and analysis tween the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and key of cryptocurrency-related crimes. The course enhanced the stakeholders, including the regional prosecutor’s office, knowledge and skills of participants from the Kosovo Police, Kosovo Police’s domestic violence unit, social services, legal Agency for Prevention of Corruption, prosecution service, aid providers, healthcare representatives, and the local Is- FIU, Tax Administration, customs, Agency for Management lamic council. The meeting highlighted municipal-level efforts of Sequestrated and Confiscated Assets, and the Pristina being undertaken to combat domestic and gender-based Basic Court. Case studies and practical exercises encour- violence. In particular, the efforts of the Dragash/Dragaš aged constructive debate and exchange of experiences, and Mechanism were commended for hosting members from motivated participants to advance inter-institutional co-oper- other municipalities to share good practices. Emphasis was ation in their daily work. placed on strengthening inter-institutional co-ordination to improve victim support and ensure effective implementation Revitalization and training workshops for LPSCs; of the legal framework. Pristina and Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kosovo (7 May & 4 September 2024) Support in rolling out the TAHCLE programme for Kosovo Police; Pristina, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pejë/Peć, The Mission assisted the Kosovo Police in conducting two Prizren, and Gjakovë/Đakovica, Kosovo training workshops on partnership development and prob- (2–29 May 2024) lem-solving for new members of existing LPSCs. Collabora- tive discussions with LPSCs and Kosovo Police officers from Within the TAHCLE programme, the Mission supported the two regions focused on effective community safety initiatives Kosovo Police in conducting six training sessions to strength- and their impact on improving residents’ quality of life. en police capacities in investigating hate crimes and treating victims with dignity. The sessions enhanced participants’ Workshop on seizing, freezing and confiscating skills in identifying bias-motivated elements during investi- virtual assets related to crimes; Pristina, Kosovo gations, under consideration of aggravated circumstances (10 May 2024) as found in the Criminal Code. In addition, they addressed individual needs assessments, the importance of adequate Subsequent to the above advanced training course on inves- victim support, and referrals to protection mechanisms. The tigating virtual assets, the Mission conducted an additional sessions also emphasized prevention as a core element of workshop focusing on expert support in seizing, freezing, community policing in responding to bias-motivated inci- and confiscating virtual assets related to crimes for partici- dents. pants from the Kosovo Police, Agency for Prevention of Cor- ruption, Prosecution Service, FIU, Kosovo Tax Administra- tion, customs, Agency for Management of Sequestrated and Confiscated Assets, and the Pristina Basic Court.

80  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

Supporting the participation of university students Workshops on the consequences of drug misuse in the Western Balkans Cyber Camp; Gjiri i Lalëzit, and prevention measures; Pristina and Mitrovicë/ Albania (10–12 May 2024) Mitrovica, Kosovo (21 & 23 May 2024)

The Mission facilitated the participation of students from the The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in organizing two Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty of the Univer- workshops to raise awareness among representatives from sity of Prishtina in the Western Balkans Cyber Camp. The Municipal Directorates of Education, social workers and new camp gathered students from the region for training on cyber officers involved in patrol, investigation and school safe- hygiene, policies and threats, with the aim of encouraging ty duties on the consequences of drug misuse and related interest in cyber security careers. prevention measures. The workshops examined the risks of drug abuse, its impact on health, behaviour and learning, as Training course to improve bilingual training well as prevention policies and strategies currently in place. services for Kosovo Academy for Public Safety; Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Kosovo (13–14 May 2024) Training-of-trainers course on financial investigations; Pristina, Kosovo (22–23 May 2024) The Mission delivered training to language professionals and proof-readers of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety The Mission delivered a specialized ToT course on financial on using the computer-assisted translation software, while investigations to participants from the Kosovo Police, Agen- ICT staff received training on its functions. The Mission also cy for Prevention of Corruption, Prosecution Service, FIU, equipped the Academy with software and four end-user li- Tax Administration, customs, Agency for Management of censes. Participants learned how the tool supports bilingual Sequestrated and Confiscated Assets, and the Basic Court services and increases productivity through predictive typing of Pristina. The training prepared attendees to serve as effec- and proofreading. tive trainers in integrated financial investigation techniques.

Meetings between religious communities and Round table with police and prosecutors on applying Kosovo Police on preventing security incidents; diversion measures; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo (23 May 2024) three in Pristina, two in Obiliq/Obilić, and one in Ferizaj/Uroševac and in Pejë/Peć, Kosovo The Mission organized a round table with representatives of (20 May 2024) the police and prosecution from the Pejë/Peć region to dis- cuss implementing provisions from the Juvenile Justice Code The Mission organized meetings on preventing security in- on the use of police warnings as a diversion measure. cidents, bringing together representatives of religious bod- ies, Kosovo Police and MCSCs from municipalities across Training sessions on handling victims of THB for Kosovo to introduce the hate crime provisions in the Crimi- Centres for Social Work; Pejë/Peć, Ferizaj/Uroševac, nal Code and indicators of hate incidents. Discussions also and Pristina, Kosovo (27–28 & 30 May 2024) focused on improving the reporting of hate crime incidents targeting religious communities or sites. The Mission conducted three training sessions on handling victims of trafficking for officials from Centres for Social Work Training course on undercover investigations into across Kosovo. As key actors in supporting victims of THB— official position abuse; Pristina, Kosovo from identification to reintegration—the social workers re- (20–21 May 2024) ceived training to strengthen their knowledge and skills, with a particular focus on assisting child victims through referral, The Mission delivered a training course on undercover inves- protection, accommodation and reintegration measures. tigations into the criminal offense of “abuse of official position” for the Kosovo Police, Prosecution Service, Tax Administra- On-the-job training on enhancing internal quality tion and Agency for Prevention of Corruption. Participants assurance resources for Kosovo Academy for Public learned investigative techniques, methods used for conceal- Safety; North Carolina, United States ing corruption proceeds, and the importance of a sustainable (27 May–01 June 2024) framework for co-operation and knowledge exchange. The Mission supported the visit of a delegation of senior of- ficials of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety and public safety agencies to the North Carolina Justice Academy.

81 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Training course on protecting human rights when ecutors. Discussions also covered relevant Criminal Code countering terrorism; Pristina, Kosovo provisions that recognize aggravated circumstances for (29–30 May 2024) bias-motived crimes and allow for enhanced penalties upon conviction. The Mission supported ODIHR in delivering a foundational training course on protecting human rights while counter- Seminar to raise awareness of environmental crime ing terrorism to Kosovo Police officers and prosecutors. prevention; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo (5 June 2024) The course highlighted the link between human rights and operational effectiveness, addressing human rights stand- On World Environment Day, the Mission and the Kosovo Po- ards, risks of violations in the context of counter-terrorism, lice facilitated a seminar to raise awareness of environmental and the impact of violations on both suspects and law enfor- crime prevention for LPSC and MCSC representatives from cement officials. It also included interviewing techniques that the Pejë/Peć and Gjakovë/Ðakovica regions. These areas build trust and respect, complemented by practical exam- are affected by illegal logging, riverbed sand and gravel ex- ples and case studies from counter-terrorism operations. traction, and the resulting severe impacts on natural land- scapes, ecosystems and community well-being. Participants Workshops on addressing cases of sexual violence highlighted key challenges, including insufficient environmen- and GBV; Prizren, Pristina, Gjilan/Gnjilane and Pejë/ tal officials, limited knowledge and expertise among existing Peć, Kosovo (29 May–6 June 2024) staff, difficulties in achieving successful prosecutions, and very low penalties for perpetrators, which fail to deter organ- The Mission organized regional workshops for police officers ized crime due to the high profits involved. from across Kosovo to enhance their understanding of var- ious forms of violence against women and GBV, as defined Training workshops on crime scene investigation by the 2023 Law on Prevention and Protection from Domes- and digital evidence data collection; Mitrovicë/ tic Violence, Violence against Women and Gender-based Mitrovica, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Ferizaj/Uroševac, Prizren, Violence. The workshops emphasized co-ordination and Pristina, Pejë/Peć, and Gjakovë/Đakovica, Kosovo cross-sectoral responses to GBV, along with the challenges (7–26 June 2024) faced by police as first responders. The Kosovo Police Forensic Directorate and the Mission or- Seminar on community safety for non-majority ganized training workshops for participants from all regional communities; Pristina, Kosovo (3 June 2024) Kosovo Police directorates. The workshops for first respond- ers and investigators aimed at enhancing their knowledge The Mission facilitated a seminar on community safety to- and practical skills in lawfully and properly responding to and gether with the Kosovo Police from the municipalities of investigating crime scenes, as well as in collecting and pre- Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, serving digital evidence. and Obiliq/Obilić. The seminar focused on identifying and addressing community safety issues affecting marginalized Training on open-source intelligence (OSINT) non-majority communities facing cultural and social chal- analysis; Pristina, Kosovo (11–13 June 2024) lenges. Kosovo Police officers presented community safety mechanisms, including LPSCs, MCSCs and community po- The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in training intel- licing, and outlined their benefits. Speakers from the police, ligence analysts from the Department for Intelligence and LPSCs and CSOs emphasized the promotion of LPSCs and Analysis, Anti-Terrorism Directorate, and other Kosovo Po- the importance of increasing membership from non-majority lice intelligence cells on OSINT analysis. The course covered communities to enhance safety for all. various tools, including search engines, social media analysis tools, web scraping tools and geospatial analysis software, Workshops for police and prosecutors on hate crime as well as techniques and ethical guidelines for gathering and response; Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Gjakovë/Đakovica, analysing data from both online and offline sources. Pristina, Prizren, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Ferizaj/Uroševac, and Pejë/Peć, Kosovo (4 June–16 July 2024) Workshop to identify institutional needs of Kosovo’s Police Inspectorate; Pristina, Kosovo (12 June 2024) The Mission facilitated workshops for Kosovo Police officers and prosecutors to discuss responses to hate crimes. The In accordance with the identified needs of the Police Inspec- Mission delivered a presentation on the concept of hate torate of Kosovo, the Mission organized a workshop with of- crimes and the legal framework, encouraging the Kosovo ficials from the Inspectorate, the Kosovo Academy for Public Police to carefully assess and present bias indicators to pros- Safety and the ICITAP of the US Department of Justice to

82  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

finalize a training needs assessment for 2024–2027. The as a basis for effective public messaging, strategies to build document identifies skill gaps and capacity-building priori- community trust, communication during crises, and practical ties to ensure the continuous professional development of exercises in public speaking and effective language use. personnel. Advanced training course on forensic imaging Workshop for reviewing the SOPs of the Kosovo software for Kosovo Police investigators; Pristina, Police K9 Unit; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo (20–21 June 2024) Kosovo (2–4 July 2024)

The Mission organized a workshop and supported the Kosovo The Mission delivered an advanced training course on fo- Police Specialized Division in a review of the SOPs of the rensic imaging software to five Kosovo Police forensic in- K9 Unit. During the workshop, Kosovo Police members in- vestigators to advance their technical capacities in handling corporated latest advancements in K9 handling techniques, digital images and videos. The course combined theory and equipment and legal standards. practical activities, covering integrity and authenticity, image generation processes and image manipulation. Participants Round table with the Kosovo Prison Service and enhanced their technical skills, including their ability to ana- judiciary on the use of alternative punishments; lyse processing histories and extract information on integrity, Pristina, Kosovo (21 June 2024) authenticity and source devices. Forensic imaging software supports forensic video analysts in addressing challenges The Mission organized a regional round table at the Koso- related to the authenticity and integrity of digital image evi- vo Prison Service directorate to promote co-operation with dence. judiciary actors and encourage the use of alternative pun- ishments. Participants included representatives of the Prison Meeting on improving co-operation and Service, judiciary, Prosecution Service and Kosovo Police. communication with judicial institutions of the The workshop raised awareness within the judiciary about Agency for Management of Sequestrated and the positive impacts of alternative punishments and encour- Confiscated Assets; Pristina, Kosovo (4 July 2024) aged their application. The Mission organized a site visit to the Agency for Manage- Intercultural youth forums; Prizren, Kosovo ment of Sequestrated and Confiscated Assets warehouse (21–23 June & 20–22 September & and a workshop on the importance of inter-institutional co-or- 13–15 December 2024) dination and communication between judicial institutions and the Agency. The event brought together representatives from The Mission facilitated three intercultural youth forums with the Basic Court and Basic Prosecution Office in Pristina, the participants from Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Special Prosecution Office, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office, the Bosniak and Kosovo Roma youth, Kosovo Police, and mem- Agency and the Mission. During a brainstorming session, bers of eight LPSCs from seven municipalities. The events participants discussed the processes of sequestration, con- included presentations by the Kosovo Police and LPSCs fiscation and management of criminal assets stored at the on preventing negative phenomena such as VERLT, as well Agency’s facilities, as well as the challenges and potential as sessions on youth-led initiatives against bullying, tackling interventions to ensure sustainable, effective and efficient as- fake news, victim protection, cyber security, and the use of set management. advocacy and negotiation skills for problem solving. Bi-annual review workshops on the implementation Training workshops on strategic communication and of the Integrated Intelligence-Led and Community public relation skills; Pejë/Peć, Gjakovë/Đakovica, Policing Strategy and Action Plan 2021–2025; Prizren, Ferizaj/Uroševac, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Mitrovicë/ Pristina, Kosovo (5 July & 19 December 2024) Mitrovica, and Pristina, Kosovo (June & July 2024) The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in conducting two The Mission conducted a comprehensive capacity-building bi-annual reviews of the implementation of the Integrated In- training programme on strategic communication and pub- telligence-Led and Community Policing Strategy and Action lic relations for senior officials of the Kosovo Police across Plan 2021–2025. During the workshop, the Kosovo Police seven regional directorates. The training aimed to enhance General Director emphasized the need for stronger moni- the skills of senior management in strategic communication, toring and supervision of the Strategy, while the workshop public relations, and the use of social media and other online conclusions outlined challenges and proposed recommen- tools, in line with the Kosovo Police Public Relations Strate- dations for future actions. Participants acknowledged the gy. Key elements included the role of internal communication Mission’s significant contribution to the development and

83 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

implementation of the Strategy, and highlighted the strong Awareness-raising activities for young people collaboration between the Kosovo Police and their partners. from non-majority communities to join the police; Vushtrri/Vučitrn and Mitrovicë/Mitrovica North, Regional round table on sequestration practices; Kosovo (23–24 July 2024) Istog/Istok, Kosovo (18 July 2024) The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in the recruitment The Mission supported the Pejë/Peć Basic Court in organiz- process for new cadets by facilitating awareness activities ing a round table on sequestration practices for representa- targeting non-majority communities. The sessions informed tives of regional courts, prosecution offices, bar association and prepared interested candidates on the recruitment pro- branches and Kosovo Police from the Pejë/Peć and Gjak- cedures outlined in a recent vacancy announcement. Partici- ovë/Đakovica regions. Participants engaged in interactive pants received presentations from the Kosovo Police Human discussions on temporary sequestrations following police Resources Department and specially prepared materials de- searches, temporary and final restraint orders, and the roles signed to streamline the recruitment process and help can- and responsibilities of all entities involved, and also identified didates to succeed. gaps and proposed recommendations. Round tables with community safety forums and Round table on the importance of synergy between civil society to co-ordinate fundraising for LPSC human resources and recruitment; Pristina, Kosovo initiatives; Obiliq/Obilić, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Pejë/ (19 July 2024) Peć, and Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kosovo (11 September–5 November 2024) A round table brought together recruitment professionals from public safety institutions and the Prime Minister’s Advis- With the Mission’s support, the Kosovo Police facilitated four er on non-majority communities to discuss the importance of round tables to encourage greater investment in LPSCs and synergies between human resources and recruitment func- community safety initiatives. The events brought together a tions. The discussion highlighted the benefits of a cohesive diverse group of stakeholders, including LPSCs, MCSCs, approach to staff attraction, selection and retention. The the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Youth, Culture, Prime Minister’s Adviser presented the legal framework and and Sports, and local CSOs. Discussions focused on im- strategies and policies developed by the Office of the Prime proving understanding of LPSCs, promoting youth partici- Minister to ensure transparent recruitment practices and an pation in community safety, and strengthening collaboration inclusive culture, introducing participants to affirmative meas- between the Kosovo Police and civil society. Participants ures applicable to job vacancies, particularly those targeting also explored the potential for creating civil society networks non-majority communities.

Ž First aid training (OSCE/Leurina Mehmeti)

84  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

to bolster co-operation between local NGOs and LPSCs in examples of political corruption, lobbying versus illicit political supporting community safety efforts. party financing, electoral corruption, nepotism and cronyism. Practical exercises on investigative techniques encouraged Visit of the Association of Women in the Kosovo constructive debate and exchange of experiences among Police to North Macedonia for gender-sensitive the participants. policing and partnership building; Skopje, North Macedonia (17 September 2024) Training on statistics for officers of the Kosovo Police Inspectorate; Pristina, Kosovo In close co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Skopje, the (23–27 September 2024) Mission facilitated a visit to Skopje for board members of the Association of Women in the Kosovo Police. The visit ena- The Mission delivered a training course on the practical ap- bled open dialogue with the Women’s Section in the Police plication of statistics and data extraction to ten officers of Union of North Macedonia, where both groups exchanged the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo. Participants learned to experiences and insights on gender-sensitive policies and present numbers clearly, analyse complex data, and identify practices. They also explored opportunities for joint initia- patterns and trends. The training strengthened the capacity tives, mentorship programmes, and the establishment of of the Police Inspectorate staff to use statistical information in strong professional networks. investigations and apply it effectively in reports.

Round table with women in uniform and the Round tables on anti-violence policies in schools; Association of Women in the Kosovo Correctional Pristina, Kosovo (24 & 26 September 2024) Service; Pristina, Kosovo (20 September 2024) The Mission supported the Ministry of Education, Science, The Mission facilitated a round table providing a platform Technology and Innovation in facilitating two round tables on for women in the Kosovo Correctional Service and women implementing anti-violence policies in schools. The events in uniform from other institutions in Kosovo and beyond to gathered representatives from the Ministry, Kosovo Police, share their experiences, challenges and needs. The discus- Centres for Social Work and the education community, in- sion promoted dialogue among women in the security sector, cluding school directors, deputy directors, psychologists and particularly those in correctional services, identifying com- teachers. The Ministry presented anti-violence policies, while mon challenges and exploring strategies to address them. the Centres for Social Work explained their approach to cases The Minister of Justice called on the Kosovo Correctional reported by schools and the Kosovo Police outlined their Service senior management to support the empowerment methods of handling such cases and their role in violence of women working in correctional services, and encouraged prevention. women to apply for managerial and leadership positions within the sector. Participants outlined recommendations to Equipping the Youth Centre of Obiliq/Obilić with address issues and challenges encountered by women, in- graphic design and ICT tools for job training; Obiliq/ cluding the development of gender equality strategies, closer Obilić, Kosovo (26 September 2024) collaboration between management and the Association of Women in the Kosovo Correctional Service, and enhanced The Mission supported the LPSC of Obiliq/Obilić in its initia- capacity-building initiatives. tive to equip the Youth Centre with graphic design and ICT equipment, aiming to prepare local youth for the evolving job Specialized training course on fighting high-level market in information technology. Through the joint efforts of and political corruption; Pristina, Kosovo the Mission, LPSC members, the Kosovo Police and the lo- (23–24 September 2024) cal community, the initiative seeks to inspire and equip youth from all backgrounds with essential skills. The initiative also The Mission conducted a specialized training course on reflects the broader positive impact of LPSC initiatives, par- fighting high-level and political corruption for 22 participants ticularly those promoting youth development and community from the Kosovo Police Directorate for Investigation of Eco- safety in Obiliq/Obilić. nomic Crimes and Corruption, prosecution bodies, the Tax Administration and the Agency for Prevention of Corruption. Workshop for preparing the Pristina MCSC 2025 The training strengthened interagency co-operation and in- Annual Action Plan and drafting a school safety plan; formation sharing, while enhancing the participants’ knowl- Pristina, Kosovo (30 September–2 October 2024) edge of the concepts, forms and consequences of high-level and political corruption. Attendees examined the differences The Mission organized a workshop to support the Pristina between high-level corruption and petty corruption, typical Directorate for Security and Emergencies in finalizing the

85 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

MCSC’s 2025 annual action plan and drafting a compre- search, and the exchange of expertise and curricula for spe- hensive School Safety Plan aimed at preventing crime, in- cialized and advanced training of Academy staff and affiliated creasing public safety awareness, and fostering a peaceful public safety students. society for all communities. The workshop brought together 27 representatives from LPSCs, the Directorate for Security Training course on research and analysis in the area and Emergencies, municipal officials, Kosovo Police, power of police discipline; Pristina, Kosovo companies and the Fire Service. Experts from the Directorate (7–11 October 2024) highlighted the role of MCSCs in advising municipalities on public safety and addressing community concerns. Partic- The Mission conducted a comprehensive training course to ipants discussed challenges and developed an action plan enhance the skills of Kosovo Police officers in research and for March through December 2025. analysis, with a focus on police discipline and background verification. The training, based on real cases handled by the Advanced training course on defensive tactics for Kosovo Police, expanded participants’ understanding of ap- correctional officers; Istog/Istok, Kosovo plied research in the context of police integrity. It covered (30 September–4 October 2024) the structure of research and analytical reports, emphasizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Participants The Mission conducted a training course on defensive tactics also learned to formulate clear research objectives and ques- for Kosovo Correctional Service officers at Dubravë/Dubrava tions to guide their analysis and produce meaningful findings. Prison. The training focused on improving participants’ pro- ficiency in control techniques, defensive tactics and the use Open forum discussion on inter-municipal of restraint equipment. It also covered the force continuum, co-operation between MCSCs; Pristina, Kosovo principles of force application, and compliance with human (9 October 2024) rights standards, as required in their duties. The Mission facilitated an open forum discussion between Workshops on economic, sexual, physical and the MCSCs of Gjilan/Gnjilane, Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš/ psychological violence in cases of domestic Partesh to explore ways of strengthening inter-municipal violence and GBV; Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pristina, Pejë/ co-operation on shared safety and security issues. Inter- Peć, and Prizren, Kosovo (1–8 October 2024) -municipal co-operation is a key priority for MCSCs and is reflected in relevant administrative instructions and the Gjilan/ The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in organizing four Gnjilane municipality annual work plan. Participants dis- workshops for new police officers from various regions on cussed common safety issues, including the physical safe- the complexities of domestic violence and GBV. The work- ty of children in and around school premises, the impact of shops familiarized officers with the elements of economic, social media on the psychological safety of children, illegal sexual, physical and psychological violence, as well as vio- dump sites and littering in public spaces, stray dogs, and lence against women and domestic violence, with a focus natural disasters such as wildfires and flooding. on the latest provisions of the new Law on Prevention of and Protection from Domestic Violence. Discussions addressed Workshop to review the functionality of the Unified duties and responsibilities, along with Kosovo Police prior- Statistical Reporting System of the Ministry of ities under the current SOPs, emphasizing the need for a Internal Affairs; Prizren, Kosovo (9–11 October 2024) professional and empathetic police response. The Mission facilitated a workshop for 14 representatives Formalizing the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety of public safety agencies under the Ministry of Internal Af- co-operation with the US North Carolina Justice fairs to discuss and evaluate the functionality of the Unified Academy; Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Kosovo Statistical Reporting System, a model and method for ex- (4 October 2024) tracting, organizing, formatting, and presenting safety and security-related data from various sources. The Head of the The Mission supported the Kosovo Academy for Public Safe- Ministry of Internal Affairs Administration of Systems and ty in hosting the Deputy Director of the US North Carolina Communications and the system implementer outlined its Justice Academy for the signing of an official co-operation use, achievements, and challenges faced by some agencies protocol with the Academy. The protocol reinforces the in providing real-time data to the system. Experts attending Mission’s commitment to integrating international good prac- the workshop emphasized its value as a critical tool for data tices into the Academy’s professional training programmes collectors and service providers. for public safety institutions. It also outlines future co-oper- ation on joint training and education initiatives, scientific re-

86  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

Training course on investigating corruption tion community, including school directors, deputy directors, and conflict of interest for officers of the Police teachers, psychologists and pedagogues, to launch the Min- Inspectorate of Kosovo; Pristina, Kosovo istry’s Manual on the Prevention of Human Trafficking. The (14–18 October 2024) events introduced the Manual, developed by the Ministry in line with its obligations and responsibilities under the Action The Mission delivered a training course on investigating cor- Plan of the Strategy Against THB 2022–2026. ruption and conflict of interest for 15 officers from the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo. Participants were introduced to the Workshops on the application of protection orders fundamental concept of corruption as a pervasive criminal in domestic violence cases; Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, and socio-economic phenomenon. The training covered the Pristina, Pejë/Peć, Prizren, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Ferizaj/ characterization of corruption within various legal systems Uroševac, and Gjakovë/Đakovica, Kosovo and major international conventions, as well as approaches (21 October–18 November 2024) to investigating corruption cases in different contexts, em- phasizing the need for efficient enforcement mechanisms. The Mission facilitated eight workshops across Kosovo on the application of protection orders in domestic violence cas- Training and equipping the Kosovo Police with es for Kosovo Police investigators, prosecutors and judges. tactical first aid kits; Pristina, Kosovo The workshops addressed challenges in implementing pro- (16 October 2024) tection orders, clarified roles and responsibilities, and pro- moted a multi-sectoral approach in line with the 2023 Law on The Mission and the Kosovo Police conducted a comprehen- Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence, Violence sive first aid training session for officers of specialized Koso- Against Women and Gender-based Violence. Prosecutors vo Police units. The training covered trauma assessment, and judges explained key legal provisions to enhance a bet- wound management and basic life support techniques, en- ter understanding of the topic among police officers. suring participants are prepared to handle medical emergen- cies in high-stress situations. To complement the training, the Training on public relations and media Mission equipped the specialized units with tactical first aid communication for local emergency directorates kits designed for quick access and ease of use in the field. and Fire and Rescue Units; Pristina, Pejë/Peć, The kits contain supplies such as tourniquets, dressings and Prizren, Gjakovë/Đakovica, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, and antiseptics to enable immediate aid during operations. Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kosovo (28 October– 4 November 2024) Mayoral visit to Prilužje/Prelluzhë and MCSC meeting; Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Kosovo (21 October 2024) The Mission supported Kosovo’s Emergency Management Agency by delivering comprehensive public and media rela- The Mission facilitated a visit by the mayor of Vushtrri/Vučitrn tions training for local-level officials, including representatives to the mixed-community Prilužje/Prelluzhë village. The may- from regional Emergency Directorates, Emergency Opera- or and municipal representatives met with four Kosovo Serb tions Centres, and Fire and Rescue Units across six Kosovo and two Kosovo Roma MCSC members to discuss security regions. The sessions provided practical skills for managing issues, lack of compensation for the MCSC members, and public and media relations in emergency contexts, and em- youth activities, among other things. Community members phasized the strategic use of social media as a communica- noted that political developments in northern Kosovo have tion tool for emergency responses, particularly within the Fire affected intercommunity relations at the local level. Follow- and Rescue sector. ing the visit, the Mission supported the municipality in host- ing the fourth regular MCSC session, chaired by the mayor, Training course on procurement and contract where representatives from the municipality, communities, management for officers of the Kosovo Police the Kosovo Police and others discussed the local security Inspectorate; Pristina, Kosovo situation. (11–15 November 2024)

Workshops to launch the Manual to Prevent Human The Mission conducted a training course on procurement Trafficking; Pristina, Prizren, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, and contract management for ten officials of the Police In- and Pejë/Peć, Kosovo (21–29 October 2024) spectorate of Kosovo. The course introduced key concepts and good practices in procurement, along with expertise in The Mission supported the Kosovo Ministry of Education, procurement legislation relevant to law enforcement. It em- Science, Technology and Innovation in facilitating four work- phasized compliance, ethical considerations, and identifica- shops for 161 representatives of the pre-university educa- tion and management of potential risks in procurement pro-

87 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

cesses. The training also covered the full procurement cycle, Training workshops to enhance police and media from pre-tendering to contract signing, including challeng- co-operation during crises; Pristina, Kosovo es related to technical specifications and tender placement (19–22 November 2024) criteria. The Mission conducted training workshops on police– Workshop for the annual review of the Ministry of -media co-operation and crisis management to strengthen Internal Affairs’ Communication Strategy and Action collaboration between police officers and media profession- Plan; Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kosovo (13–15 November 2024) als during high-risk situations. Two intensive two-day ses- sions brought together fifty participants from key operational The Mission facilitated a workshop to conduct the annu- police units for in-depth discussions and activities clarifying al review of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Communication the roles and operational realities of both sectors in critical in- Strategy and Action Plan 2022–2024. The event brought cidents. Guided by two media experts, the sessions focused together representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on strategic approaches to crisis management, adherence to Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, Kosovo Police, Po- information dissemination protocols, and the media’s role in lice Inspectorate of Kosovo, and Emergency Management shaping public perception during emergencies. Agency to assess achievements, challenges and overall pro- gress in implementing the Strategy. Participants reported on Conference on internal police investigations; the implementation of activities, particularly those targeting Pristina, Kosovo (20–21 November 2024) non-majority communities, aimed at fostering transparency, building public trust, and delivering essential information to The Mission supported the Kosovo Police in organizing a diverse audiences. conference on internal police investigations, bringing togeth- er police officers from internal investigations units, the Police Implementation of community safety initiative; Inspectorate of Kosovo, and law enforcement professionals Skënderaj/Srbica, Kosovo (15 November 2024) from various jurisdictions. The conference addressed cur- rent challenges faced by internal control units in maintaining The Mission concluded the implementation of an LPSC initia- and strengthening community trust in the police. It provid- tive in Skënderaj/Srbica municipality with the handover of 36 ed a platform for exchanging ideas, experiences and good wall-mounted whiteboards to two elementary schools, with practices, fostering collaboration on common issues and en- the aim to improve learning conditions for around 550 pu- hancing co-operation in police accountability. pils. The need for this support was identified by LPSC mem- bers using skills gained during Mission-led problem-solving Workshop for drafting the new Community Safety training. In collaboration with the local community, the LPSC Strategy and Action Plan; Prizren, Kosovo worked closely with the Skënderaj/Srbica municipality to (25–27 November 2024) complete the initiative. The school principals expressed grat- itude to the Mission for its continued support through LPSC The Mission organized a workshop to support the Minis- initiatives. try of Internal Affairs in drafting the new Community Safety Strategy (2025–2029) and Action Plan (2025–2027). The Training course on the management of correctional event brought together representatives from relevant gov- institutions for senior Kosovo Correctional Service ernment ministries, the Kosovo Police, the Police Inspector- leaders; Lipjan/Lipljane, Kosovo ate of Kosovo, MCSCs and others to begin developing the (18–22 November 2024) action plan using a template based on categories from the previous action plan. The strategy emphasizes strengthening The Mission delivered a training course on the management community safety through the establishment of a solid legal of correctional institutions to strengthen the management framework for community safety forums, ensuring their func- skills of Kosovo Correctional Service leaders in key areas of tionality and co-operation with local and central institutions in correctional administration. Participants explored ethics and addressing safety issues. organizational values, with a focus on integrity and fairness in leadership. The course examined leadership styles to im- Workshop to promote the role of uniformed women prove staff and inmate management, including transforma- in preventing domestic violence, violence against tional and situational approaches. Sessions on managing dif- women and femicide; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo ficult situations and inmates provided strategies for handling (26–27 November 2024) conflicts and emergencies, while communication modules addressed barriers and offered techniques to improve com- The Mission, in collaboration with the Kosovo Police, Koso- munication within institutions. vo Correctional Service, Ministry of Justice, and the wom-

88  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

en’s associations of both institutions, organized a two-day ensuring that it remains relevant, forward-thinking, and re- workshop to strengthen the role of women in uniform in sponsive to both internal and external factors. preventing domestic violence, violence against women, and femicide. The event focused on empowering women and Workshop for the annual review of the Police fostering intersectoral collaboration among key institutions, Inspectorate of Kosovo Development Strategy and including law enforcement, healthcare, social services, and drafting of the new Strategy; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo the judiciary, to prevent and combat all forms of GBV. Discus- (4–6 December 2024) sions highlighted the importance of leveraging the capacities of women in law enforcement and increasing gender sensi- The Mission organized a workshop to review the Police In- tivity within institutions handling such cases. spectorate of Kosovo Development Strategy 2022–2024, and to develop the new Development Plan and Action Workshop for the annual review of the Kosovo Plan 2025–2027. Senior officers of the Police Inspectorate, Prison Service Development Strategy; Pristina, together with representatives from the Mission and other Kosovo (26–27 November 2024) institutions, assessed the implementation of the current strategy by reporting on achievements and identifying gaps. The Mission organized a workshop to review the Kosovo Participants also discussed key challenges in implementa- Prison Service Development Strategy 2023–2025, providing tion and emphasized the need to strengthen co-operation probation service officers a platform to evaluate the effec- between the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo and internation- tiveness of the strategic plan and its implementation to date. al partners. Participants discussed completed activities and assessed progress at the Kosovo Prison Service level, supported by Project management training for public safety a detailed analysis of performance data and ongoing plans, institutions; Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Kosovo as well as the upcoming activities for the next year. As an (5 December 2024) outcome of this review, the working group drafted a compre- hensive progress report to guide future actions and ensure The Mission conducted a training workshop for senior rep- that the Kosovo Prison Service’s strategic objectives are met resentatives of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety and effectively and efficiently. other public safety institutions on drafting project proposals to help them secure donor support. Delivered by in-house Awareness-raising workshops during the 16 Days Mission experts, the workshop brought together senior of- of Activism Against GBV and Domestic Violence; ficials from the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, Kosovo Pristina, Pejë/Peć, Gjilan/Gnjilane, and Mitrovicë/ Police, Police Inspectorate, customs, Kosovo Correctional Mitrovica, Kosovo (26 November–5 December 2024) Service, and Emergency Management Agency. Participants learned how to effectively plan project ideas, manage project The Mission facilitated four workshops to raise awareness implementation, seek internal funding, and collaborate with and promote discussions on the challenges and solutions external partners. related to accessing justice for victims of GBV and domestic violence. Aligned with the goals of the 16 Days of Activism Workshop for the annual review of the Association Against GBV and Domestic Violence, the workshops aimed of Women in the Kosovo Police Development to mobilize local communities, strengthen partnerships with Strategy and Action Plan 2022–2024 and drafting of the police, and address key security issues in handling such the new Strategy; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo cases. (5–6 December 2024)

Workshop for the annual review of the Kosovo The Mission supported the Association of Women in the Correctional Service Development Strategy; Pristina, Kosovo Police in reviewing its Development Strategy and Kosovo (2–3 December 2024) Action Plan 2022–2024, by organizing a workshop with Kosovo Police officials to evaluate progress and establish The Mission conducted a workshop to support the Kosovo future priorities. Particular emphasis was placed on collab- Correctional Service in reviewing its Development Strategy orating with non-majority representatives to support recruit- 2023–2027. Participants assessed the current strategy to ment initiatives aimed at increasing the number of female identify areas in need of improvement and addressed key candidates. challenges, including difficulties in reporting on the imple- mentation of activities, to ensure more effective tracking and transparency. The review also focused on aligning the Strat- egy with long-term goals of the Kosovo Correctional Service,

89 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Workshop for annual revision of the Kosovo Agency Training course on assessing compliance risks in on Forensics Development Strategy and Action Plan; police work; Pristina, Kosovo (9–13 December 2024) Pristina, Kosovo (6 December 2024) Through a training course delivered to officers of the Police The Mission conducted a workshop to support the Kosovo Inspectorate, the Mission enhanced their skills in police over- Agency on Forensics in reviewing its Development Strategy sight, with a focus on assessing compliance risks in police 2022–2026. Attended by 12 representatives, the work- work. The course included real-life case studies and practi- shop analysed progress in achieving the strategic objectives cal scenarios, enabling participants to apply newly acquired through the implementation of 2024 activities and identified knowledge to real-world situations. Good practices for con- key areas for improvement in the coming years. Forensic ducting performance inspections were also shared to further experts and policymakers discussed ongoing challenges, improve the participants’ ability to monitor and evaluate po- including the need for advanced training, expansion of foren- lice work effectively. sic capabilities and integration of new technologies into their work. The discussion also focused on strengthening interna- Domestic violence training course focusing on tional co-operation and enhancing the overall effectiveness vulnerable victims; Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Kosovo of forensic investigations. (10–12 December 2024)

Annual Executive Council Meeting of LPSCs; The Mission delivered a training course on domestic violence, Pristina, Kosovo (6 December 2024) with a focus on vulnerable victims, to newly assigned domes- tic violence investigators and first responders from the Koso- The Mission supported the Kosovo Police and LPSCs in or- vo Police Regional Directorate of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North. ganizing the 22nd Annual LPSC Executive Council Meeting, Conducted by the Mission’s in-house experts, the training attended by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, emphasized police roles and responsibilities under the newly Kosovo Police, the Mission, Pristina municipality, Ministry of enacted Law on the Protection and Prevention of Domestic Youth and Emergency Management Agency. Speakers em- Violence, Violence Against Women and Gender-Based Vio- phasized good practices, information sharing, and stronger lence. Special attention was given to understanding and ad- partnerships between LPSCs, the police and other institu- dressing the psychological needs of vulnerable victims. tions. LPSCs across Kosovo showcased their achievements and discussed future initiatives. Presentations highlighted Round tables with the Parents Council on child successful community projects supported by the Mission protection; Pristina, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, and other organizations, underlining the value LPSCs bring and Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Kosovo to public safety and security. Volunteerism, a key element (11–17 December 2024) of LPSC work, was also underscored, along with the need for greater support from local and central governments, par- The Mission supported the Ministry of Education, Science, ticularly through the forthcoming Community Safety Strategy Technology and Innovation in organizing three roundtable and Action Plan. sessions focused on child protection as part of an intera- gency effort to safeguard children from all forms of violence, Training course on strengthening co-operation abuse, exploitation, neglect, and other risks to their well-be- between police and prosecution in combating ing. The round tables aimed to ensure sustainability in child corruption; Pristina, Kosovo (9–10 December 2024) protection efforts, and equipped members of the Ministry, the Parents Council, Municipal Directorates of Education, To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, the Mission con- and schools with the knowledge and tools to protect chil- ducted a training course to strengthen co-operation between dren. Participants were familiarized with ongoing efforts with- the Kosovo Police and the Prosecution Service in investigat- in the educational system from all levels to implement child ing and combating corruption. Participants included repre- protection policies, which aim to create a safe environment sentatives from the Kosovo Police, the basic and special for all children in Kosovo’s public and private pre-university prosecution, and the Agency for Prevention of Corruption. institutions. The course enhanced the investigative and prosecutorial skills of police officers and prosecutors handling corruption Workshop for reviewing the Kosovo Police cases, and promoted effective communication and collabo- procedures and guidelines on handling hate crimes; ration between the two institutions. Pejë/Peć, Kosovo (17–19 December 2024)

In co-operation with the Kosovo Police, the Mission facili- tated a workshop to review the Kosovo Police SOPs on

90  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

inter-ethnic and hate crimes, as well as the Kosovo Police Workshop on finalizing the Strategy against Manual on handling hate crimes. Members of relevant police Narcotics and Action Plan 2024–2028; Pristina, units reviewed both documents and agreed to merge them Kosovo (1 March 2024) into a single guide. The workshop also focused on updating the manual to include all key instructions for identifying, in- Building on a series of workshops and meetings held through- vestigating and recording bias-motivated crimes. out 2023 to draft the new Strategy and Action Plan against Narcotics, the Mission assisted the Ministry of Internal Af- Workshop on introducing a new environmental fairs in organizing a final meeting to complete the document. crime investigation module for law enforcement and The meeting brought together 11 members of the working the judiciary; Pristina, Kosovo (18 December 2024) group, including representatives of the Ministry’s Secretariat for Strategies and Drug Observatory Office, Kosovo Police, The Mission supported the Kosovo Academy for Public Police Inspectorate of Kosovo, FIU, and the Mission. Dis- Safety in organizing a workshop to foster inter-institutional cussions focused on finalizing comments and suggestions dialogue on environmental crime for law enforcement and from various stakeholders, including the EU Drugs Agency, the judiciary. The workshop brought together participants to strengthen the strategic document prior to approval. The from the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety, the Academy Mission’s in-house expertise and technical support were of Justice and the Kosovo Police to discuss the integration considered instrumental throughout the drafting process. of a specialized environmental crime module into the curric- ula of both academies to strengthen professional capacities Workshop on inter-institutional co-ordination for in tackling this issue. Representatives from both institutions combating organized crime and money laundering; emphasized the importance of the module, noting its direct Pristina, Kosovo (11 September 2024) impact on community health and safety, as well as the pro- tection of flora and fauna. Building on previous training and following the recommenda- tions of the Central Bank, the Mission conducted a workshop Workshop for revising the SOPs of special police on inter-institutional co-ordination for combating organized operation units; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo crime and money laundering. The event brought together 22 (23–25 December 2024) participants from the Kosovo Police, prosecution, FIU, Koso- vo Tax Administration and various financial institutions (both The Mission, in collaboration with the Kosovo Police, con- bank and non-bank). The workshop promoted stronger col- ducted a workshop with officers from the Department of laboration and co-ordination of activities among these enti- Specialized Units and provided in-house expertise to review ties in addressing organized crime, money laundering and the SOPs for the Bomb Squad, and the K9 and Special Op- terrorist financing. erations Units. The workshop aimed to align SOPs with inter- national good practices, improve operational efficiency, and Training course for police analysts on strategic, address emerging security challenges. operational and tactical assessments; Pristina, Kosovo (17–19 September 2024)

Addressing threats posed by An in-house expert from the Mission delivered a training criminal activity course to Kosovo Police intelligence analysts aimed at de- veloping their skills in producing strategic, operational and tactical assessments. The course included an overview of Workshop on empowering women in P/CVERLT; ILP, demonstrating how such assessments help identify pri- Prizren, Kosovo (28 February 2024) orities, support planning, improve policy development and guide decision-making. Participants also learned about the The Mission supported a capacity-building training event de- key differences between these assessments and the criti- livered by the Kosovo Police and Mission experts for repre- cal role that analysts play in assisting senior management sentatives of local NGOs and women from remote and rural through tasking and co-ordination, ensuring appropriate areas of the Prizren region. The workshop aimed to equip resource deployment and providing essential intelligence to participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, identify operational officers across the Kosovo Police. and counter VERLT, recognizing women’s pivotal role in influ- encing families and communities.

91 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Advanced training course for forensic officials on On-the-job training for operational planning and new psychoactive drugs; Pristina, Kosovo deployment of the K9 and special operations unit of (21–25 October 2024) the Kosovo Police; Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock and Brühl, Germany (25–29 November 2024) The Mission delivered a training course on new psychoactive drugs to forensic officials of the Kosovo Agency on Forensics The Mission organized intensive on-the-job training for mem- and the Kosovo Police. Participants were introduced to the bers of the Kosovo Police K9 and Special Operations Unit international and EU legal frameworks, as well as the key with the North Rhine-Westphalia State Police in Germany. international bodies active in this field and their roles. The Officers participated in complex real-life training exercises course covered the main characteristics of the illicit drug designed to improve the integration of K9 teams into tactical market, including dark web structures, differences between operations. The training focused on the specialized capabili- new psychoactive substances and traditional drugs, and ties of K9 teams, including searches for SALW, cadavers and emerging trends and future perspectives. Recent advance- missing persons, as well as digital detection. ments in analytical chemistry for detecting new psychoactive substances in seized samples, both on site and in forensic Workshop for the annual review of the Strategy laboratories, were discussed, along with health and safety against Human Trafficking; Pristina, Kosovo measures for workplaces where such substances may be (3–5 December 2024) present, with particular attention to synthetic opioids. The Mission organized a workshop to conduct the annual Specialized training course on drug investigations; review of the 2022–2024 Action Plan of the Strategy against Pristina, Kosovo (11–13 November 2024) Human Trafficking in Kosovo 2022–2026. The workshop brought together 25 participants representing the Kosovo The Mission organized a training course for newly appointed Anti-trafficking Authority, the Ministry of Internal Affairs Office investigators of the Kosovo Police Anti-Drugs Directorate. of the Anti-trafficking Co-ordinator and Secretariat for Strat- Delivered by the Mission’s expert and a prosecutor, the train- egies, Kosovo Police, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Victims’ ing focused on procedural and legal frameworks for drug Advocacy and Assistance Office, Centres for Social Works, investigations, with an emphasis on updated provisions of shelters for victims of trafficking, the Police Inspectorate of the revised Criminal Procedure Code. The programme also Kosovo, and other relevant government ministries, institu- provided participants with the latest tools and knowledge tions and organizations. to combat narcotics-related crime and offered an overview of investigative procedures, including case preparation, re- Workshop for evaluating the Action Plan of the source allocation, risk assessment and interagency co-ordi- Strategy against Narcotics; Prizren, Kosovo nation. (4–6 December 2024)

Training workshop on proactive investigations of The Mission facilitated a workshop to conduct the first eval- THB; Pristina, Kosovo (12–14 November 2024) uation of the Action Plan of the Strategy against Narcotics 2024–2028. The workshop gathered participants from the The Mission organized a training workshop on planning and Kosovo Coordinator’s Office against Narcotics, Secretariat conducting proactive investigations in the area of THB, with for Strategies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of a focus on organized crime groups. Delivered by the Mis- Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of sion’s in-house expert, the workshop brought together par- Health, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Kosovo Police, ticipants from the Kosovo Police Directorate for Investigation Police Inspectorate, Kosovo Judicial Council, Kosovo Pros- of Human Trafficking, as well as the Public Prosecutor’s Of- ecutorial Council, FIU, Kosovo Correctional Service, Kosovo fice and its professional associates. Tailored for investigators Medicines Agency and customs, as well as local and interna- and prosecutors handling THB cases, the training combined tional organizations actively engaged in combating narcotics case studies and practical exercises to enhance participants’ in Kosovo. knowledge on proactive investigations, global trends and digitalization, technologies used to combat THB, co-ordina- Workshop for the annual review of the Cyber tion and communication, and financial investigations related Security Strategy and Action Plan; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo to THB. (9–11 December 2024)

The Mission facilitated the first annual review of the Cyber Se- curity Strategy and Action Plan 2023–2027. The workshop gathered working group members representing the Ministry

92  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

of Internal Affairs, Kosovo Police, Regulatory Authority for under the Criminal Code, reviewed case studies and relevant Electronic and Postal Communications, Agency for Infor- legislation and regulations, and discussed evidence-gather- mation Society, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology ing techniques, the role of prosecutors, and ways to strength- and Innovation, Ministry of Economy, Kosovo Prosecutorial en co-operation between law enforcement and environmen- Council, and the private sector. During the sessions, partici- tal protection agencies. pants reported on the implementation status of activities car- ried out during the year. Workshop for the annual review of the Counter- Terrorism Strategy’s Action Plan; Pejë/Peć, Kosovo Workshop on developing the procedures for the (16–18 December 2024) destruction of confiscated illicit narcotics; Pristina, Kosovo (12–13 December 2024) The Mission facilitated a workshop to support the Ministry of Internal Affairs in evaluating the progress of the Strategy and The Mission facilitated a workshop for drafting the SOP for Action Plan for Preventing and Combating Terrorism 2023– the destruction of confiscated illicit narcotics, in line with ob- 2028. The event brought together participants from relevant jectives of the Action Plan against Narcotics 2024–2028, to institutions, as well as local and international experts, to which the Mission contributed. The event gathered 15 rep- jointly analyse achievements, challenges and opportunities resentatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of to enhance counter-terrorism efforts. Discussions focused Environment and Spatial Planning, prosecution bodies, the on strengthening inter-institutional co-operation and refining Kosovo Police, Agency for Medical Products, and the EU mechanisms to safeguard residents and maintain peace. Home Affairs Programme of European Union in Kosovo. Dis- cussions focused on key aspects of the narcotics destruc- On-the-job training for Kosovo Police on handling tion process, including operational procedures, legal and and investigating bombs and explosives; Ankara, regulatory frameworks, environmental considerations, and Türkiye (17–18 December 2023) mechanisms for effective interagency co-ordination. With Mission’s support, members of the Kosovo Police Training sessions for the police to detect Bomb Unit and Training Division attended on-the-job train- environmental crimes enabled by organized crime; ing delivered by the Turkish National Police on handling and Pristina and Prizren, Kosovo (16–17 December 2024) investigating bombs and explosives. The training provided hands-on experience and insights into advanced techniques The Mission organized two training sessions on environmen- used by Turkish authorities in managing bomb threats, ex- tal crime, co-delivered by the Mission’s in-house expert on plosive disposal and post-blast investigations. Participants organized crime. Attended by police officers from various gained practical knowledge in key areas, including bomb stations, the sessions provided an overview of the challeng- disposal operations, advanced methods for detecting and es and strategies in addressing these offenses, with a focus neutralizing explosives, and good practices for post-blast in- on prevention, investigation and collaboration. Participants vestigations. examined the definition and types of environmental crimes

93 2.1.4 Mission to Montenegro

Introduction

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro (the Mission) was established in June 2006, with the aim to support the host country with the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments, as well as facilitate Montenegro’s co-operation with the OSCE in all three dimensions of security, particularly the politico-military and human aspects of security and stability. The Mission supports Montenegro with developing a more accountable security sector capable of addressing serious threats and crimes, while ensuring public safety and the protection of the human rights. The Mission’s Security Co-operation and Governance Programme continued supporting the authorities of Montenegro in advancing reform processes.

Ž Participants at the regional conference “Human Rights Due Diligence: Building Ethical Supply Chains to Combat Human Trafficking for Labour Exploitation” (OSCE/Mission to Montenegro)

94  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

Spotlight on ▶ Due diligence in protecting human rights and combating human trafficking for labour exploitation; Budva, Montenegro (16–17 September, 2024)

The Mission, in collaboration with the SR/CTHB and Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro, hosted a regional conference titled “Human Rights Due Diligence: Building Ethical Supply Chains to Combat Human Trafficking for Labour Exploitation”, the first major regional conference in Montenegro to address THB for labour exploitation within supply chains. The conference brought together key stakeholders—including government officials, law enforcement officers, labour inspectors, representatives of public procurement agencies, CSOs and trade unions—to tackle this critical issue.

Participants gained insights into good practices from Germany, Norway, and Slovenia. As one participant, a labour inspector from Montenegro, said, “the conference was not just a learning opportunity; it was the beginning of a new approach to tackling human trafficking in the region.” The conference enhanced collective efforts and strengthened co-operation between the public and private sector, with a particular focus on safeguarding human rights in procurement processes. With the publication of the new EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive in July 2024, the initiative represented a timely step toward aligning regional policies with European standards.

This event marked a significant milestone, empowering stakeholders to address this complex issue and take meaningful action to protect potential and existing victims of THB for labour exploitation.

General police development and reform

Further development of the e-learning platform Development of the “virtual police station” for the Ministry of the Interior and the Police; application; Podgorica, Montenegro Podgorica, Montenegro (16–17 May; 7–11 October; (throughout 2024) 14–16 October 2024) The Mission provided support for the development of a “vir- The Mission supported three training sessions for content tual police station” application designed to improve direct creators of the Ministry of Interior’s e-learning platform, communication between citizens and the police. The appli- which was developed with the Mission’s assistance. The cation enables citizens to report incidents, seek assistance, first session familiarized Ministry officials with the platform’s submit complaints about police services, locate police sta- use. The second session trained additional officials to create tions in Montenegro with directions, and access real-time and upload training content, while the third session provid- traffic updates at border crossings, among other features. By ed advanced training on integrating video materials and de- simplifying interaction with the police, it also fosters stronger veloping interactive courses. These sessions were followed police–community relations. In 2024 the application was ap- by a six-week mentorship programme with Mission experts, proved by Google and Apple for inclusion in their app stores. during which participants designed a police training course in their respective areas of expertise. These activities enhanced Conducting the 2024 Police Perception Survey; the police training capacities, while significantly reducing throughout Montenegro (throughout 2024) government training and education costs. For the fifth consecutive year, the Mission supported an an- nual public opinion survey assessing Montenegrin citizens’

95 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

attitudes toward the work of the police, perceptions of per- addressing gender-based harassment and bullying. In addi- sonal safety, safety issues at local and national levels, views tion, the police gender and integrity team raised awareness on corruption, gender equality, trust in institutions, and the among colleagues on these critical issues. progress of police reform. Preliminary findings indicate that fewer residents felt completely safe in 2024 compared to 2023, and that citizens’ trust in the police continues to de- Addressing threats posed by cline, with the average trust rating showing a year-to-year criminal activity decrease from 2022 to 2024. However, the percentage of citizens who believe men and women are equally capable of performing police duties increased in 2024 compared to the Evaluation of the National Strategy for Combating previous year. Trafficking in Human Beings 2019–2024, and development of the new gender-responsive National Campaign for more women in the police and Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings to encourage young people to seek a career in 2025–2028 and the 2025 Action Plan; Podgorica, policing; Danilovgrad, Montenegro Montenegro (throughout 2024) (May & June 2024) The Mission supported the evaluation of the implementation The Mission supported the public awareness campaign “I of the National Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Human Choose the Police”, aimed at encouraging young people, Beings 2019–2024 and contributed to the development of especially women, to pursue careers in policing. A working a new gender-responsive National Strategy for Combating group composed of representatives from the Ministry of the Trafficking in Human Beings 2025–2028, together with the Interior, the Police Academy and the Mission developed a accompanying 2025 Action Plan. In addition to conducting communications and visual plan. As a result of the cam- desk research and data analysis, the Mission organized and paign, there was a notable increase in the number of female facilitated in-person interviews and workshops to support applicants to the Police Academy. the drafting process. An expert engaged by the Mission in- terviewed representatives of key stakeholder groups, while Support to the Montenegrin Women Police two working group workshops, supported and facilitated by Association in hosting the Global Conference on the Mission, brought together representatives from all rele- Gender Equality in the Police; Budva, Montenegro vant national authorities to strengthen multisectoral and insti- (26–27 March 2024) tutional co-operation.

The Mission supported the Montenegrin Women Police As- Training on interviewing potential THB victims for sociation in organizing and hosting the Global Conference on police officers, judiciary and social workers; Budva Gender Equality in the Police, which brought together par- and Kolašin, Montenegro (25–29 March 2024) ticipants from over 23 countries. During the two-day event, participants exchanged good practices and experiences re- The Mission supported the training of border police officers lated to female empowerment in the security sector, as well based on guidance developed for law enforcement when as ways to promote and strengthen women’s representation interviewing potential THB victims. During two training ses- across all areas of policing. Shortly before the conference, sions, participants learned how to conduct interviews using the Montenegrin Women Police Association became an offi- a gender-sensitive approach and a standardized set of ques- cial member of the European Network of Policewomen. This tions, developed with the Mission’s support. The sessions milestone coincided with the Association’s 35th anniversary, enhanced officers’ capacities to identify THB victims, ensure marking its long-standing commitment to empowering wom- legal protection and prevent secondary victimization. en in law enforcement. Training course for special investigative methods, Annual Meeting of Police Persons of Trust; Budva, including secret surveillance; Podgorica, Montenegro (19–20 December 2024) Montenegro (17–24 April; 18–22 November 2024)

The Mission supported the Annual Meeting of the Persons The secret surveillance training for police officers focused on of Trust, organized by the Montenegrin Police Department. enhancing their knowledge, skills and techniques to improve Persons of trust are experienced and reliable colleagues to effectiveness in combating serious and organized crime. whom police officers can confidentially turn for advice and The first session introduced the fundamentals of clandestine support. The meeting provided served as a platform to surveillance, while the second course addressed advanced present guidelines on anti-discrimination and strategies for surveillance techniques.

96  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

Regional meeting of experts in the field of special Regional workshop on the online exploitation of investigative methods for combating serious and women and children by organized criminal groups; organized crime; Budva, Montenegro (8 May 2024) Podgorica, Montenegro (11–13 September 2024)

The Mission organized a regional meeting of the Heads of The Mission supported the workshop “Cryptocurrency and the Departments for Special Investigative Methods from Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation”, organized by eight countries—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Association (SEPCA), Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia— the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre, the Council of as well as representatives from the Montenegrin Special Europe, and the Criminal Intelligence Service of Austria. The Prosecutor’s Office and the Supreme Court. The discussions event brought together police managers and investigators of placed particular emphasis on safeguarding human rights cybercrime units from Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzego- when applying special investigative measures. vina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Ro- mania and Serbia. Participants enhanced their knowledge of Ninth Annual Forensic Conference; Budva, tools, techniques and good practices for investigating virtual Montenegro (3–4 October 2024) currencies and online sexual exploitation and abuse.

The Mission hosted the above conference, which brought Roundtable meetings on environmental crime and together representatives from forensic institutions in Bos- the regional workshop “Fighting Environmental nia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Po- Crime in Montenegro and the Balkans region”; land, Slovakia, Slovenia and Serbia. The event focused on Plavnica Eco Resort, Skadar Lake, Montenegro strengthening regional co-operation and sharing good prac- (5 June; 8–10 October 2024) tices in forensic science, a critical component of evidence collection in serious and organized crime cases. Key topics The Mission facilitated a round table on environmental crime, included the use of AI in forensics, DNA analysis, and the bringing together representatives from State institutions, ju- presentation of forensic evidence in court. The core mes- dicial and prosecutorial services, as well as NGOs to discuss sage of the conference emphasized that “co-operation with ways to enhance co-operation and co-ordination in promot- relevant regional and international organizations, as well as ing environmental protection and combating environmental with the police services and forensic centres of neighbour- crime. During the event, the Mission presented its analysis ing countries, is of great importance in the investigation and “Environmental Crime in Montenegro” along with recom- prosecution of transnational organized crime.” mendations for addressing this issue. The follow-up region- al workshop “Fighting Environmental Crime in Montenegro and the Balkans region” was organized by the Environment Protection Agency of Montenegro, the French Embassy in Podgorica and the Mission. The workshop brought together representatives from the police, judicial and prosecutorial in- stitutions, international organizations and NGOs from across the region.

97 2.1.5 Mission to Serbia

Introduction

The OSCE Mission to Serbia (the Mission) was established in 2001 with a mandate to help Serbia build strong, independent, accountable and effective democratic institutions.

The Mission runs a variety of programmes to assist Serbia in its police reform processes and to support national strategies and priorities. These include fighting organized crime, particularly economic crime and corruption, as well as supporting the recruitment of members of minorities into the police service, the prevention of juvenile delinquency, and the strengthening of police accountability and transparency. To increase mutual trust and confidence in the police service, the Mission helps develop community policing principles and works on strengthening the partnership between the police and the public.

Spotlight on ▶ Data protection outreach campaign; throughout Serbia (4 April–16 December 2024)

The Mission supported the Serbian Ministry of Interior in strengthening data protection by improving the enforcement of the Law on Personal Data Protection within police operations.

In 2024, the Mission assisted the Ministry in implementing an outreach campaign, during which a dedicated team visited all 27 police districts and delivered training to 1,550 police commanders and their deputies, who regularly handle and manage large volumes of personal data. The campaign also fostered closer co-operation between the Ministry with the Office of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, as a representative of Commissioner’s office was part of the team.

These efforts enhanced the protection of citizens’ personal data, reducing the risk of misuse or unauthorized access to sensitive information. As a result, people in Serbia can feel more confident that their privacy is safeguarded through improved police procedures. Strengthening data protection within law enforcement also helps build greater public trust, encouraging citizens to engage more openly with authorities, knowing their personal information is handled responsibly and transparently.

General police development and reform

Results of the 2024 Public Perception Survey; amining trends in trust, safety concerns, and institutional per- throughout Serbia (November–December 2024) formance in Serbia.

The Mission conducted the 2024 Public Perception Survey The survey findings provide valuable insights for decision on a nationally representative sample of 1,010 citizens, ex- makers, enabling both the Mission and the Ministry of Interi-

98  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

or to analyse long-term trends and align them with ongoing tion of police powers to minors, methods for contacting and reform efforts. interviewing juvenile offenders, and procedures for securing evidence in cases involving narcotics, terrorism, extremism Lecture on the Mission’s work at the National or cybercrime. Defence School; Belgrade, Serbia (29 February 2024) Lectures on OSCE’s comprehensive approach to To raise awareness of the Mission’s activities and its contri- security for students of Belgrade University’s Law bution to security, the Head of Mission delivered a lecture Faculty; Belgrade, Serbia (20–21 March 2024) to the eighth class of the “Advanced Security and Defence Studies” course at the Department of Strategy, National De- To explain and promote the OSCE’s comprehensive ap- fence School, University of Defence. The lecture outlined the proach to security, representatives from the Mission delivered OSCE’s role in European security, its institutional structure, five lectures at the Department of Theory, Sociology and Phi- and its core principles and commitments, with a particular losophy of the Law Faculty at University of Belgrade. The lec- focus on the Mission to Serbia and its support for their im- tures addressed corruption from a sociological perspective plementation. Course participants included high-ranking offi- and highlighted the Mission’s efforts to strengthen national cials of the Serbian Ministry of Defence, Army, Ministry of In- capacities for fighting corruption. terior, and Members of the National Assembly, as well as the defence ministries of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary. Women Police Officers Network members exchange experiences on gender equality; Budva, Montenegro Training seminars on juvenile crime prevention; (25–28 March 2024) Srebrno Jezero, Šabac, Serbia (20–22 March & 3–5 April 2024) To further strengthen advocacy efforts and expertise on gen- der equality within the police service, the Mission supported To strengthen a multi-stakeholder approach to preventa- three members of the management board of the Serbian tive work with youth and vulnerable groups, the Mission, in Women Police Officers Network to attend the Global Con- co-operation with the Ministry of the Interior, organized train- ference on Gender Equality in Police, co-organized by the ing seminars for junior police officers from the districts of Novi OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Montenegrin Women Sad, Smederevo, Sombor, Sremska Mitrovica, Subotica, Police Officers Network, the Global Initiative against Trans- Šabac and Zrenjanin. The seminars focused on international national Organized Crime and the European Network of Po- standards related to youth crime, the appropriate applica- licewomen.

Ž Learning about data protection (OSCE)

99 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Workshop on the role of young people in local safety premises, the workshops informed high school students councils (LSCs); Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia about their rights and responsibilities during encounters (28–29 March 2024) with the police. Participants included students from 20 Bel- grade high schools. Experts from the Ministry of the Interior As part of its broader efforts to introduce the concept of local facilitated sessions covering various aspects of youth crime safety and strengthen preventative work with young people, prevention. Through practical exercises, students learned to the Mission, in co-operation with the National Association of recognize and address different forms of violence in both real Local Youth Offices, organized a workshop for representa- and virtual environments. Special attention was given to de- tives of local youth offices and LSCs from across Serbia. A veloping skills for resisting peer pressure and identifying so- representative from the Ministry of Interior highlighted the cru- cially acceptable activities as alternatives to risky behaviour. cial role of young people in shaping and strengthening LSCs, as well as the challenges they encounter in this process. The Regional workshop on effective communication for workshop aimed to promote LSCs as the key mechanism for women police officers; Vršac, Serbia developing police–public partnerships at the local level and (16–18 April 2024) to encourage shared responsibility between all stakeholders in addressing local safety issues. The Mission and the Serbian Ministry of the Interior—this year’s chair of the Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Associ- Presentation of the 2023 annual survey findings to ation (SEPCA)—organized a regional workshop on effective Ministry of Interior officials; Belgrade, Serbia communication for women police officers. Participants in- (3 April 2024) cluded officers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bul- garia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania The Mission presented the findings of the 2023 Annual Pub- and Serbia, as well as the SEPCA Regional Coordinator. The lic Perception Survey of Police Work and Citizens’ Percep- event was co-organized with the ICITAP of the US Depart- tions of Safety to the Ministry of the Interior. The presentation ment of Justice. highlighted both positive trends and areas requiring improve- ment within the police service, focusing on public trust in Assessment of screening tests for police recruit institutions, perceptions of corruption, political influence on selection; Belgrade, Serbia (19 April 2024) operational work, and reluctance to report criminal acts. In 2023, trust in the police increased overall, with 44 per cent of The Mission organized the presentation of an analysis of the respondents expressing confidence. However, distrust also psychological screening tests used for basic police training grew, with 27 per cent reporting a lack of confidence. Trust enrolment. The event gathered representatives from the Gen- levels were notably lower among young people, at 33 per cent. eral Police Directorate, Directorate for Police Training and the The survey was conducted on a nationally representative Basic Police Training Center, Human Resources Department, sample of 1,007 respondents using a structured question- and Psychological Department. The expert assessment fo- naire designed for face-to-face interviews. cused on the predictive validity of psychological testing in determining the suitability of recruits. Kick-off activities for the development of a case management system; Belgrade, Serbia Enhancing police competencies in addressing (8–12 April & 28–31 May 2024) discrimination and hate crimes; Kopaonik and Belgrade, Serbia (9–10 May & 26–27 December 2024) The Mission facilitated structured meetings between the Ministry of the Interior and the company contracted to de- The Mission, in co-operation with the Commissioner for the velop the Ministry’s case management system. Discussions Protection of Equality and the Ministry of the Interior, organ- focused on application’s planned features, enabling the com- ized training events on recognizing and responding to dis- pany to draft detailed software specifications tailored to the crimination and hate crime. Police officers from Niš, Novi existing workflow and operational needs of the Criminal In- Pazar, Leskovac and Prokuplje (in May) and Belgrade (in vestigation Directorate. December) attended the sessions, which aimed to train of- ficers to identify and address discrimination. Participants also Youth crime prevention workshops for students; learned about the role and mandate of the Commissioner for Belgrade, Serbia (12, 15, 16, 19 & 23 April 2024) the Protection of Equality, international standards for protec- tion against discrimination, and communication aspects of The Mission supported a series of workshops for students the police mandate. Special attention was given to specific as part of the youth crime prevention programme “My Right areas of police work with a heightened risk of discrimination, to Know my Rights and Obligations”. Held at the Mission’s such as cases of domestic violence, interactions with minors

100  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

and vulnerable groups, persons with disabilities, and mem- Project cycle management (PCM) workshop for bers of the LGBT community. police officers from national minorities; Belgrade, Serbia (18–19 June 2024) Project management workshop for police officers; Belgrade, Serbia (29–31 May 2024) To promote an inclusive police service with fair representation of officers from national minorities, the Mission facilitated a The Mission organized a project management workshop for PCM workshop for officers who are members of the police officers from the Ministry of the Interior’s Criminal Investiga- association European Police Officers of National Minorities. tions Directorate. Through interactive sessions and hands-on The workshop equipped participants with the skills to design exercises, participants learned to apply the logical framework projects and apply result-based thinking. methodology to effectively plan, monitor and evaluate pro- jects. The training was particularly valuable for participants Support for modernizing the community policing with no prior experience in project writing, equipping them curriculum at the University of Criminal Investigation with essential tools to define objectives, analyse problems, and Police Studies; Srebrno Jezero, Serbia and develop successful project proposals. (1–4 July 2024)

Advocating the concept of LSCs with local officials; The Mission supported the Ministry of the Interior and the Bač and Bačka Palanka, Serbia (5 June 2024) University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies in up- dating and modernizing the community policing curriculum The Mission advocated for the establishment of LSCs in vis- “Crime Prevention through Problem-Oriented Policing”. The its to municipal officials in Bač and Bačka Palanka. Repre- working group responsible for the update consisted of eight sentatives of both municipalities expressed their willingness members—seven from the Uniform Police Directorate and to continue the work of the LSC. They also informed the Mis- one from the University. The revised curriculum focuses on sion about the outcome of a recent capacity-building activity: equipping officers with the knowledge, skills and attitudes the Municipality of Bač purchased and donated equipment required for effective problem-oriented policing and project to the local police station. The equipment will support the development. police in performing their daily duties, including preventive measures for traffic safety. Technical assessment of the case management system; Belgrade, Serbia (9–12 July 2024) Training on corruption risk assessment for the Ministry of the Interior; Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia The Mission organized the technical assessment workshop (10–12 June 2024) for the design and development of the case management system software within the Criminal Investigation Directorate. The Mission, in co-operation with the Ministry of the Interior’s Representatives from the company responsible for develop- Sector for Internal Control and the Agency for Prevention of ing the software visited the Ministry of the Interior to discuss Corruption, organized a training workshop on corruption risk the detailed design of the system’s features. assessment for members of the Ministry’s working group. The workshop introduced participants to the methodology Presentation of evaluation on inclusive police and procedures for conducting corruption risk assessments. recruitment; Belgrade, Serbia (17 July 2024)

Study visit to Italy on good practices in case As part of its efforts to support inclusive police recruitment, management systems; Rome, Italy (11–14 June 2024) the Mission presented to the Ministry of the Interior the rec- ommendations from an external evaluation, commissioned in The Mission, in co-operation with the Italian Guardia di Finan- 2023, on the Mission’s support to the vocational police asso- za, organized a study visit to Rome to support the Serbian ciation “Police Officers of National Minorities – Europe Polis”. police in designing its case management system. During the The Mission also hosted a discussion on further improving visit, Serbian police officers were introduced to the Guardia’s the Ministry’s recruitment and selection process. Special at- MOLECOLA software and its practical application in daily tention was given to addressing language gaps, particular- operations. ly how to test the knowledge of Serbian as a non-mother tongue, as well as to enhancing professional orientation.

101 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Training for school police officers on preventing for educational workshops, promotional materials, and as- substance abuse among youth; Belgrade, Serbia sistance in organizing training events for police officers from (12–27 August 2024) various branches involved in the project’s implementation.

To foster drug prevention and improve safety in schools, the Case management system assessment Mission, in co-operation with the Ministries of the Interior and presentation; Belgrade, Serbia Education, organized three training courses to strengthen the (24–27 September 2024) skills and knowledge of school police officers in preventing substance abuse among youth. The officers learned more The Mission organized a presentation for the Ministry of the about their role in drug abuse prevention, how to provide re- Interior’s Criminal Investigation Directorate on the results of assurance and a sense of safety within school communities, the assessment and the proposed design features of the and how to become more approachable and supportive for case management system application. The company de- children and young people. This activity directly supports the signing the system presented the detailed software function- implementation of the National Strategy for the Prevention of alities, features and workflow processes. Drug Abuse. Training-of-trainers workshop for the “Strong Training courses for police officers implementing Families” programme for preventing drug abuse and the project “Together and Safely through youth violence; Belgrade, Serbia Childhood”; Belgrade, Serbia (21–26 August 2024) (16–17 October 2024)

To strengthen a multi-stakeholder approach to preventative In partnership with Serbia’s Ministry of Education and the UN- work with youth and vulnerable groups, the Mission support- ODC, the Mission organized a ToT workshop titled “Strong ed the Ministry of the Interior in organizing four training sem- Families” for school psychologists and specialists from eight inars for police officers involved in the project “Together and school districts. The “Strong Families” programme focuses Safely through Childhood”. The seminars brought together on improving parenting skills, child well-being and family officers from various branches of the police, including juvenile mental health to prevent drug abuse, violence, crime, and delinquency units, fire brigades, traffic police and uniformed poor educational outcomes among children. Participants police. learned strategies to foster positive family interactions and support parents in helping their children make informed de- Development of a mid-term action plan on national cisions. minority inclusion in the police; Srebrno Jezero, Serbia (23–25 August 2024) Training seminar on juvenile crime prevention; Vrdnik, Serbia (28–30 October 2024) To promote inclusive recruitment practices, the Mission or- ganized an event to support the police association European The Mission supported a training seminar for police officers Officers of National Minorities in developing its Action Plan for from the districts of Belgrade, Kikinda and Pančevo, focus- the period 2025/2026. ing on addressing juvenile crime. The seminar covered inter- national standards in juvenile justice, the appropriate appli- Launch of the second year of the project “Together cation of police powers to minors, methods for contacting and Safely through Childhood”; Belgrade, Serbia and interviewing juvenile offenders, and guidelines for the (6 September 2024) treatment of this group of society. It also included sessions on securing evidence in cases involving narcotics abuse, The Mission supported the launch of the second year of suspected terrorism and extremism, cybercrime and other the project “Together and Safely through Childhood”, imple- related offenses. mented in all elementary schools in Serbia during the 2024– 2025 school year. The Head of Mission, together with the Outreach to national minority candidates for police Minister of Interior, the Minister of Education and the Com- recruitment; throughout Serbia (3–9 October 2024) missioner for Protection of Equality, addressed the audience at the event. Other project partners, including the University The Mission enabled a delegation from the police associa- of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies, the Road Traf- tion European Officers of National Minorities to visit various fic Safety Agency, CARITAS Serbia, the International Rescue locations across the country ahead of the call for basic po- Committee and the Women Police Officers Network were lice training. The outreach included face-to-face discussions also present. For the second consecutive year, the Mission with national minority candidates in towns and cities across supported the project by providing online platform licenses the country, including Belgrade, Bor, Bujanovac, Dimitro-

102  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

vgrad, Čačak, Kikinda, Kraljevo, Leskovac, Niš, Novi Sad, Commissioner’s expert team about the policies, practices Novi Pazar, Pančevo, Pirot, Požarevac, Preševo, Prokuplje, and procedures for recognizing and reporting discrimination. Sombor, Sremska Mitrovica, Subotica, Tutin, Užice, Vranje, Zaječar and Zrenjanin. Among other topics, the association Informative sessions for minority applicants to basic informed potential recruits about updates to the application police training; Novi Sad, Subotica, Kikinda Sremska criteria, including an increase in the age limit from 24 to 30. Mitrovica, Pančevo, Zaječar, Pirot, Niš, Leskovac, Novi Pazar, and Vranje, Serbia Police competencies in addressing discrimination (25 November–4 December 2024) and hate crime; Pirot, Serbia (6–7 November 2024) The Mission supported the police association European Po- The Mission, in co-operation with the Commissioner for the lice Officers of National Minorities in conducting informative Protection of Equality and the Ministry of the Interior, organ- sessions across the country for applicants from national mi- ized a second seminar on recognizing and responding to norities interested in basic police training. discrimination and hate crime. Police officers from Dimitrov- grad, Niš, Pirot and Zaječar attended the session. These Training course on police assets declaration as part seminars aim to train officers who regularly interact with citi- of anti-corruption measures; Belgrade, Serbia zens to identify and address discrimination. The training cov- (25 November–9 December 2024) ers techniques for recognizing and appropriately responding to discrimination incidents, as well as strategies for mitigating The Mission supported the organization of seminars for of- implicit bias in their professional duties. Additionally, the ses- ficers from the Belgrade Police District, the Border Manage- sions raise awareness of the challenges faced by vulnera- ment Directorate and the Sector for Emergency Situations ble groups, fostering greater empathy and understanding in on the asset declaration process as part of anti-corruption interactions with diverse communities. measures. The workshops were also attended by final-year students of the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Round tables on the implementation of the Law on Studies. The seminars focused on the legal responsibility of prevention of domestic violence; Niš and Kragujevac, police officers to declare their property and the obligation of Serbia (5 & 13 November 2024) the Ministry of the Interior to monitor changes in the asset registry. The Mission, together with the Ministry of Justice, organized two round tables for prosecutors, judges, police and cen- Impact assessment of the case management system tres for social work to discuss challenges in implementing on data protection; Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia the Law on prevention of domestic violence. These events (26 November–29 November 2024) provided a platform for members of the co-ordination groups established under the law to engage in professional discus- The Mission, in co-operation with the US Bureau of Inter- sions aimed at identifying practical challenges and procedur- national Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, organized al shortcomings. a workshop to develop an impact assessment of the case management system on personal data protection. The work- Workshop for gender focal points on gender shop was moderated and led by a local expert specializing in analysis; Belgrade, Serbia (20 November 2024) human rights and personal data protection.

The Mission supported the Ministry of the Interior’s Person Conference on hostage negotiation teams; for Gender Equality in convening an initial workshop for gen- Belgrade, Serbia (3–4 December 2024) der focal points. At the workshop, participants conceptual- ized and outlined the steps required to complete the Minis- The Ministry of the Interior and the Mission organized the try’s gender analysis, in line with the Law on Gender Equality. conference “Police Negotiation – Adapting to New Chal- lenges”, marking the twentieth anniversary of the Ministry’s Seminar for the Ministry of Defence on combating Negotiating Team in Serbia. The conference brought togeth- discrimination; Vrdnik, Serbia er domestic experts and participants from nine countries, (25–26 November 2024) including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia. The Mission supported the Commissioner for Protection of Equality in organizing the first seminar on recognizing and responding to discrimination for staff of the Ministry of De- fence and the Serbian Army. Participants learned from the

103 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Basic police training qualification exam tests Sub-regional training event on ICT and security; available in national minority languages; Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia (13–14 March 2024) Serbia (1 November–22 December 2024) To strengthen understanding of cyber and ICT security as The Ministry of the Interior revised the Regulation on the an international policy field, and to promote the effective Professional Development of Police, introducing several key implementation of the OSCE cyber/ICT security confidence changes to attract more applications for basic police train- building measures, the Mission, in co-operation with OSCE ing. These include raising the age limit to 30, extending the TNTD and Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized the duration of open calls to give potential applicants more time “Sub-regional training on the role of ICTs in the context of to apply, and redesigning Serbian language tests to assess regional and international security”. The event enhanced na- functional language proficiency. The Mission continues to ad- tional preparedness, crisis management and co-ordination vocate for the enrolment of national minorities in the police mechanisms at both the technical and policy levels, while force by ensuring that entry tests are available to candidates also fostering effective regional communication and co-op- from these communities. To this end, the Mission facilitated eration. Representatives from participating States in Eastern the translation of the tests into Albanian, Slovak and Hungar- and South-Eastern Europe took part in panel discussions on ian, further supporting the development of a police force that the impact of confidence building measures in strengthening is more representative of Serbia’s diverse population. national resilience and regional co-operation.

Expert meeting of traffic police and misdemeanour Development of a handbook on parallel and judges; Sokobanja, Serbia (11–12 December 2024) proactive financial investigations; Belgrade and Vršac, Serbia (22 March & 6–7 November 2024) The Mission supported the fourth expert meeting of repre- sentatives of the traffic police and misdemeanour courts. The To strengthen capacities for implementing recommendations meeting provided an opportunity for representatives from from the global FATF report on money laundering and terror- both institutions to exchange views and share relevant data ist financing, the Mission supported two meetings of a multi- on the implementation of the Law on Road Traffic Safety. -stakeholder expert group to develop a handbook for con- Participants discussed existing challenges, as well as antic- ducting parallel and proactive financial investigations. The ipated issues related to the upcoming adoption of the new expert group focused on the development of the handbook law, expected next year. with particular emphasis on addressing FATF Recommen- dation No. 30, which calls for enhancing the ability to con- duct complex financial investigations in parallel with criminal Addressing threats posed by investigations. The group consisted of representatives from criminal activity the Tax Administration, the Ministry of the Interior (Financial Investigations Unit, Anti-Corruption Department, and Service for Combating Organized Crime), the Administration for the Steering committee meetings of the SALW project; Prevention of Money Laundering, and the Supreme Public Belgrade, Serbia (4 March, 3 October, 6 November & Prosecutor’s Offices (including the Public Prosecutor’s Office 2 December 2024) for Organized Crime and the Specialized Anti-Corruption De- partments). The Mission’s SALW team organized four project steering committee meetings for the project “Strengthening the ca- Dialogue between the cybercrime unit of the pacities of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior to more ef- Ministry of the Interior and leading online platforms; fectively reduce, prevent, and counter illicit trafficking and Dublin, Ireland (25–27 March 2024) misuse of SALW, ammunition and explosives”. The meetings were attended by designated representatives from the Min- The Mission organized an exchange between Serbian offi- istry of the Interior, the Serbian Proofhouse, and the project’s cials and representatives of the online platforms Meta and donors (the EU and France). The sessions provided an op- TikTok. The meetings focused on communication protocols portunity for the SALW project team to present project activ- and exploring ways to enhance co-operation in emergencies, ities, results and implementation plan, as well as to discuss particularly those involving terrorism and direct threats to life. the request and process for amending the project.

104  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

Participation of Serbian youth teams in thority. The Cyber Camp covered cyber hygiene, governance cybersecurity competition; Belgrade, Serbia and cyber threats, and participants gained practical experi- (4–5 April 2024) ence through a hands-on cyber-attack simulation using the Cyber Drill platform. This activity forms part of the Mission’s The Mission supported the Cybersecurity Network Foun- ExB project “Strengthening the Republic of Serbia’s National dation in inviting members of the Serbian youth team, who Capacities on Cybersecurity”, funded by Italy and Norway. qualified to participate in the 2024 Cyber 9/12 Strategy Chal- lenge. The challenge required participants to demonstrate Serbian Cybersecurity Challenge 2024 and annual knowledge of various aspects of cybersecurity, including meeting of the Cybersecurity Network Foundation; technical components, international legal frameworks and Belgrade, Serbia (14 May 2024) communication strategies. The competition was designed for students at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral The Mission supported the 2024 National Cybersecurity levels. Challenge Finals, held at the Serbian-Korean Information Center in Belgrade. Organized jointly with the Mission and Co-ordination meeting among police liaison officers the Cybersecurity Network Foundation, the event brought in Serbia; Belgrade, Serbia (25 April 2024) together students and pupils competing for top prizes. Sponsors awarded the winning teams, and businesses in The Mission organized a co-ordination meeting between the information and network security presented their work and Organized Crime Unit and police liaison officers in Serbia. career opportunities. The event concluded with a meeting The meeting focused on providing updates and discussing of the Foundation, where public and private sector repre- recent initiatives, as well as exploring opportunities for co-op- sentatives and academia discussed strategic cybersecurity eration in combating organized crime, financial crimes and issues, including the government’s vision under the Cyberse- corruption, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, drugs curity Strategy 2021–2026, the harmonization of the EU NIS and firearms trafficking, terrorism, and issues related to cyber- 2 Directive 2016/1148 with Serbia’s new Law on Information -crime and cyber security. Security, upcoming Foundation activities, and education and career pathways for youth in cybersecurity. Strengthening the oversight mechanism of the Anti- Corruption Department; Belgrade, Serbia Drafting of a guidebook on the management of (9 May 2024) electronic devices and evidence; Belgrade and Kosmaj, Serbia (16 May & 18–19 September 2024) To support police investigators in resolving unsolved cases and provide recommendations for future actions, the Mission The Mission supported the Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Corrup- organized a meeting to assist the Ministry of the Interior’s tion Department in drafting a guidebook on managing elec- Anti-Corruption Department Working Group in developing tronic devices and electronic evidence for investigators han- methodologies and procedures for overseeing ongoing cases dling corruption cases. The guidebook aims to strengthen across Serbia. This initiative aligns with the Police Directo- their abilities to address risks associated with virtual assets, rate’s objective to ensure effective guidance and oversight including cryptocurrencies, in the context of money launder- of police departments and units, as mandated by the Law ing and corruption cases. on Police. Police capacities to handle human sources; Vrdnik Youth participation at the Western Balkan Cyber and Bajina Basta, Serbia (27–30 May & Camp; Durres, Albania (10 to 12 May 2024) 28–31 October 2024)

The Mission supported the Serbian delegation’s participation The Mission and the Ministry of the Interior organized a work- in the Western Balkan Cyber Camp. The camp is a platform shop for officers from the Criminal Intelligence Service and for fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, enhancing the Police Training Directorate to develop a training curricu- skills in cybersecurity, and enabling participants a dynam- lum on handling human sources. The curriculum, including ic learning environment and connecting with peers across multiple modules and practical exercises, is designed to build the region. The delegation included students studying ICT, essential skills for future officers. A mock training session was as well as two representatives from the Faculty of Technical conducted at which newly trained trainers from the Criminal Sciences in Novi Sad and the Regulatory Authority for Elec- Intelligence Service practiced delivering materials, receiving tronic Communications and Postal Services. The participa- feedback from Mission staff and a mentor from the Minis- tion of the Serbian delegation was further supported by the try’s Police Training Directorate. Once approved, completion Cybersecurity Network Foundation and the Regulatory Au- of this training will become mandatory for all investigators

105 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

applying to the Criminal Intelligence Service, including active Enhancing capacities in investigation and seizure informant handlers and controllers. of cryptocurrencies; Niš (12–14 June 2024) and Belgrade, Serbia (27–29 August & Training on advanced financial investigations in 24–26 September 2024) cryptocurrencies and the dark web; Vrnjačka Banja and Belgrade, Serbia (3–7 June 2024) The Mission collaborated with the Ministry of the Interior’s Service for Combating High-Tech Crime and the Council The Mission organized consecutive training events on con- of Europe’s Cybercrime Programme Office to organize ad- ducting advanced financial investigations involving crypto- vanced training courses on investigating and seizing crypto- currencies and the dark web. Participants included police currencies. Trainers from the Service for Combating High- officers from the Ministry of the Interior’s Sector for Internal Tech Crime covered techniques for monitoring, investigating Control, and prosecutors. The sessions were delivered by and analysing cryptocurrency transactions, conducting dark- Mission experts, high-tech crime specialists from the Ministry net investigations, understanding various types of crypto- of the Interior, and representatives of the Italian Guardia di Fi- currencies and wallets, and the fundamentals of money laun- nanza. The training focused on the practical implementation dering in cyberspace. of investigations and the legal processing of cases. Tri-lateral operational meetings on human Working group meetings for K9 unit SOPs and the smuggling; Skopje, North Macedonia (18 June 2024) K9 General Plan; Belgrade, Serbia (6 June, 4 July, 22 and Budapest, Hungary (27 November 2024) August, 26 September, 4 November & 18 December 2024) Continuing its support for regional co-operation in combat- ing human smuggling, the Mission organized an operational The Mission’s SALW team hosted meetings of the Ministry of meeting for task forces from Hungary, North Macedonia, and the Interior’s working group to develop SOPs for the use of Serbia. Police and prosecutors shared latest trends in irreg- K9 capacities and to finalize the K9 General Plan. The work- ular migration and the current modus operandi of organized ing group collaborated closely with an international expert to criminal groups in their respective countries. They also ex- compile, discuss and review feedback on the General Plan. changed information and intelligence on ongoing cases of Following thorough deliberation and careful assessment of all mutual interest. The meeting in Budapest brought together recommendations, the General Plan was successfully final- key partners from Austria, Germany, Hungary and Türkiye. ized during the last meeting. Given their critical role in migrant smuggling activities along the Balkan route, the task forces of Serbia and North Mac- Support for Serbian students to attend preparations edonia explored ways to build on Hungary’s operational ex- for the European Cybersecurity Challenge 2024; perience. Each country presented the results of recent oper- Vienna, Austria (6–9 June 2024) ations, assessed the current migrant-smuggling landscape, and discussed potential areas for closer future co-operation. To support Serbia’s participation in international cybersecu- rity competitions, the Mission facilitated the involvement of Support for a Serbian representative to attend the Serbian students in preparatory activities for the European annual EU cyber exercise; Athens, Greece Cybersecurity Challenge 2024. The preparations aimed to (19–20 June 2024) help participants learn, refine and apply new cybersecurity concepts and techniques, network with peers from oth- The Mission supported a representative of the Regulatory er countries, and build teams for the upcoming Challenge. Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Servic- This activity was part of the ExB project “Strengthening the es to attend the visitor programme of Cyber Europe 2024, Republic of Serbia’s National Capacities on Cybersecurity”, organized by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. funded by Italy and Norway. Participants learned about the EU Agency’s capacity-build- ing activities, discussed the resilience and criticality of energy and digital infrastructure sectors, and explored new opportu- nities for cybersecurity research and innovation.

106  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

Organization of two executive board meetings; Justice, may be included in the final law revisions. This pro- online (27 June & 24 October 2024) cess forms part of the 2023–2028 National Anti-Corruption Strategy and is expected to be completed by 2025. During To enhance regional co-operation, information-sharing and three subsequent meetings, the group addressed topics the efficiency of transnational organized crime investigations, such as creating a catalogue of criminal offenses under var- the Mission supported two online executive board meetings ious jurisdictions. of the Permanent Conference of Organized Crime Prosecu- tors (PCOCP), with members from Bulgaria (as PCOCP Sec- Workshop of the Cybersecurity Network Foundation retariat), Greece, Montenegro and Romania. The meetings on strategic cybersecurity-related matters; provided a platform to agree on logistical matters and the Kragujevac, Serbia (24–26 September 2024) topics to be addressed at the annual PCOCP meeting. The Mission supported Serbia’s Cybersecurity Network Presentation of the report Understanding the role of Foundation in organizing a workshop for its members from women in organized crime; Belgrade, Serbia the public and private sectors and academia to discuss (2–3 July 2024) strategic cybersecurity matters. Topics included the gov- ernment’s vision and activities outlined in the Cybersecuri- The Mission supported TNTD/SPMU in convening a work- ty Strategy for the period 2021–2026, the harmonization of shop to present the report Understanding the role of women the cybersecurity-related EU NIS 2 Directive 2016/1148 with in organized crime. The workshop aimed to enhance criminal the new Law on Information Security, the Foundation’s up- justice practitioners and policymakers’ understanding of how coming activities, and education and career opportunities for women are recruited into organized crime, their roles inside youth in cybersecurity. criminal networks, as well as how and why they exit these organizations. It further showcased good practices from Support for the Serbian youth team to participate across the OSCE area on gender-sensitive organized crime in the EU Cybersecurity Challenge 2024; Turin, Italy prevention initiatives. (7–12 October 2024)

Participation of Serbian Ministry of the Interior Mission support enabled the participation of the Serbian representatives at the annual OSCE-wide ICT youth team in the EU Cybersecurity Challenge (ECC) 2024. conference; Valletta, Malta (15–16 July 2024) Following the Serbian Cybersecurity Challenge (SCC) 2024, the Cybersecurity Network Foundation launched a mentor- As part of its efforts to strengthen the capacities of Serbia’s ing programme with the winners to select ten students to authorities to prevent and counter cybersecurity threats, the represent Serbia at the ECC. The Serbian delegation at the Mission supported the participation of a representative from ECC 2024 consisted of ten students, one team coach, two the Ministry of the Interior Computer Emergency Response members of the ECC Steering Committee from Serbia, and Team and one Mission member in the annual OSCE-wide one representative from the SCC Initiative, alongside two Chairperson-in-Office conference on cyber/ICT security, Mission members. The ECC, organized by the European Un- “Strengthening national cyber resilience”. The conference ion Agency for Cybersecurity, serves as a platform for top brought together relevant national cyber policymakers to dis- cyber talents from participating countries to meet, network, cuss the OSCE’s ongoing work and explore ways to further collaborate and compete. Contestants solved security-relat- enhance resilience against emerging threats. ed tasks in areas such as web and mobile security, crypto puzzles, reverse engineering and forensics. Meetings to discuss amendments to Serbia’s Law on Organized Crime; Belgrade, Serbia Awareness-raising seminars on VERLT; Palić and (24 September, 29 October & 18 November 2024) Pirot, Serbia (13–14 & 25–26 November 2024)

The Mission co-hosted meetings of an expert group tasked The Mission organized and facilitated seminars for local edu- with discussing potential amendments and addendums to cational advisors, school psychologists, social workers, and Serbia’s Law on Organized Crime. At the request of the Su- representatives from the Ministry of Education and Ministry preme Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Mission supported a of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy. Partici- group of practitioners comprising prosecutors, judges and pants learned about the pathways and risks of radicalization, representatives from the Ministries of Interior and Justice. violent extremism, terrorism, and the misuse of the internet Divided into sub-groups (police, prosecutors, and judges), for terrorist purposes in Serbia. Trainers from the Ministry of participants worked on concrete solutions to strengthen cur- the Interior’s Service for Combating Terrorism and Uniformed rent legislation. Their proposals, supported by the Ministry of Police shared practical experience and expertise, emphasiz-

107 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

ing the importance of mutual trust, close co-operation and Second SEPCA General Assembly under the Serbian information-sharing among all local institutions. Presidency; Belgrade, Serbia (12 December 2024)

SALW round tables with Ministry of the Interior and The Mission supported the organization of the second SEP- hunting associations; Niš (4 October), Kragujevac CA General Assembly under the Serbian Presidency. The (11 October), Užice (29 October), Novi Sad high-level event gathered police chiefs and law enforcement (12 November) and Belgrade, Serbia professionals from the SEPCA region, along with representa- (13 November 2024) tives from organizations such as INTERPOL, EU4FAST WB, and others. The event was opened by the Acting Head of The Mission initiated a series of round tables with the Ministry Mission, the Serbian Minister of Interior, the President of IN- of the Interior and hunting and shooting associations on the TERPOL and a representative from the US Embassy in Ser- safekeeping and safe use of weapons. These events provid- bia. Discussions focused on enhancing the region’s capacity ed an opportunity for the Ministry of the Interior to present to combat human trafficking, migrant smuggling and cyber- the legal framework on firearm safekeeping and to showcase crime. A representative of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior the awareness campaign developed under the ExB project presented the SEPCA Threat Assessment developed during “Support to designing and implementing awareness raising Serbia’s presidency, which was subsequently adopted by campaigns on SALW control in Serbia”, funded by the Euro- SEPCA members. At the conclusion of the event, Serbia pean Union, France, Germany and Slovakia. handed over the 2025 presidency to Albania.

Workshop for establishing a team for initial Support to the 10th PCOCP Annual Meeting in 2024; assessments of individuals at risk of radicalization; Vienna, Austria (17–18 December 2024) Vrdnik, Serbia (9–12 December 2024) The Mission supported the OSCE Secretariat in organizing To support the national working group tasked with creating the 10th Annual Meeting of the Permanent Conference of Or- a mechanism to identify, assess and assist individuals at risk ganized Crime Prosecutors (PCOCP), which brings together of or on the path to radicalization or violent extremism, the prosecutors’ offices from Austria, Albania, Bosnia and Her- Mission organized a workshop for the multi-agency work- zegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Monte- ing group developing a national team for initial assessments negro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. The of individuals at risk of radicalization (the Initial Assessment annual meeting provides a platform for participating prosecu- Team). tors to exchange views, share challenges and discuss good practices. The 2024 meeting focused on criminal typologies related to virtual assets, encrypted communications, crimes connected to the dark web and digital evidence.

Ž Learning about data protection (OSCE)

108 2.1.6 Mission to Skopje

Introduction

The work of the OSCE Mission to Skopje (the Mission) and its Police Development Unit is rooted in the Mission’s original policing mandate from 1992 and further guided by OSCE Ministerial Council and Permanent Council decisions arising from the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) of 2001. A key priority for the Mission is monitoring and supporting the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, focusing on decentralization, non- discrimination, language and education rights, as well as equitable representation of all citizens. The Mission’s mandate additionally covers police and legislative reforms, rule of law and different areas of good governance.

Spotlight on ▶ Breaking barriers and strengthening detection capacities—OSCE Support to the Police K9 Unit in North Macedonia: Introducing the first woman police dog handler; Skopje, North Macedonia (throughout 2024)

In 2024, the OSCE Mission to Skopje made significant strides in strengthening the detection capacities of the Police K9 Unit as part of its ongoing support for SALW control in SEE. These efforts

Ž Shikova and her K9 partner Ada (OSCE/Annie Engstroem)

109 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

were implemented through the ExB project, “Assisting the National Authorities of the Republic of North Macedonia to Decrease the Risk of Weapon Proliferation and Misuse of SALW.

A key highlight of 2014 was the appointment of Kristina Shikova, the country’s first female police dog handler, marking a milestone in the professionalization and gender mainstreaming of the Police K9 Unit. A police officer with six years of service, Shikova joined the K9 Unit in early 2024, fulfilling a long-held personal aspiration. Together with her K9 partner, Ada—a 5-month-old Belgian Shepherd (Malinois)—she is undergoing intensive training in socialization, detection techniques, obedience and operational deployment protocols.

Shikova’s appointment reflects the Mission’s broader objective of promoting gender equality and diversity in policing. Her role in a traditionally male-dominated field is already inspiring other women to consider careers in specialized police units. The Mission has supported this effort through infrastructural improvements, including gender-sensitive renovations of K9 facilities in Ilinden, Hipodrom, and Gjorche Petrov, where separate changing and sanitary areas for women and men were introduced for the first time in the Unit’s history.

Beyond individual achievements, the project has advanced institutional reforms within the K9 Unit. SOPs, training manuals and legal frameworks were developed and aligned with international good practices. Women now participate more actively in working groups, training sessions and regional study visits, strengthening inclusive participation in SALW control efforts.

General police development and reform

Regional Gender and Security Conference; Skopje, Engaging women and young people on issues North Macedonia (7–8 March 2024) related to local security concerns; Skopje, North Macedonia (20 March–15 October 2024) The Mission and ODIHR organized the Regional Gender and Security Conference, bringing together police representa- The Mission organized four workshops across seven Skop- tives, security agencies, and women’s police associations je municipalities—Aerodrom, Kisela Voda, Gazi Baba, Čair, from South-Eastern Europe and beyond. The event facilitat- Butel, Čučer Sandevo and Šuto Orizari—bringing together ed dialogue, experience-sharing, and the exchange of good women from diverse social, occupational and ethnic back- practices to advance gender equality in law enforcement. It grounds. Supporting the implementation of the Communi- highlighted North Macedonia’s achievements during its 2023 ty Engagement and Communication Strategy (2024–2026) chairpersonship, particularly efforts to foster inclusive secu- action plan, the workshops created a platform for women rity by engaging women and youth in peace and security to discuss local security concerns, propose solutions, and initiatives. Participants discussed challenges and opportuni- engage directly with police prevention officers. This initiative ties for gender equality in law enforcement, explored gender strengthened women’s participation in community security, mentoring programmes, and examined practical steps to enabling them to influence safety provisions by sharing their empower women in the security sector. The Gender Mentor- perspectives and priorities. ing Programme for Police in North Macedonia was praised for enhancing gender sensitivity and fostering a cultural Enhancing the Police and Prosecution Protocol; change within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. ODIHR present- Skopje, North Macedonia (April–December 2024) ed research on the role of women’s police associations in advancing gender equality, emphasizing their effectiveness. The Mission convened representatives from the Ministry of The conference concluded with the adoption of the Skopje Internal Affairs, the Police and the Office of the Prosecutor Recommendations, which outline concrete steps to further on five occasions to implement the Police and Public Prose- gender equality in the security sector. cution Office Protocol for Cooperation. During these working

110  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

group meetings, Commission members discussed ways to Supporting Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Training improve the existing Protocol and agreed to draft a new ver- Centre to implement the Manual for Planning Priority sion. They also decided to develop a communications strat- Training; Skopje, Veles, Ohrid and Kavadarci, North egy and to compile and prioritize ten SOPs relevant to the Macedonia (8 April–15 December 2024) Protocol. The Mission assisted the Ministry of Internal Affairs in devel- Training on decision-making in disciplinary oping and drafting: proceedings; Strumica, North Macedonia (1–5 & 8–12 April 2024) a) a methodology to identify priority training; b) a manual for planning priority training; and The Mission organized two training courses on decision- c) an action plan for piloting their implementation. -making in disciplinary proceedings for staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Department for Disciplinary Procedures and In 2024, the Mission moved from development to implemen- Court Hearings. A national legal expert led the courses, sup- tation by supporting the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Training ported by two guest presenters: a judge from the Basic Civil Centre working group in piloting the methodology and man- Court of Skopje and a lawyer. They delivered sessions titled ual across four key organizational units. Key achievements “Judicial Aspects of Disciplinary Procedures” and “The Role included: of Attorneys in Disciplinary Proceedings”. The training com- bined theoretical discussions, group work and case studies, ƒ Clarifying roles and responsibilities of each organizational fostering in-depth engagement with key disciplinary proce- unit at different process stages; dures. ƒ Delivering training courses and mentoring sessions to provide hands-on support; External evaluation of the Further ƒ Introducing the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ first-ever struc- Professionalization portfolio 2019–2023; Skopje, tured approach to training needs assessment and priority North Macedonia (1 April–20 May 2024) planning; ƒ Strengthening regional and departmental capacity for The Mission commissioned two external consultants to eval- strategic training management; uate the Further Professionalization portfolio for the period ƒ Establishing a scalable model for the Ministry of Internal 2019–2023. The assessment examined the Mission’s inter- Affairs’ long-term training development. ventions in three key areas: human resources management, police training and career development, and disciplinary Through this initiative, the Mission has supported the trans- practices. The evaluation concluded that the portfolio’s on- formation of institutional training planning from an ad hoc, going shift toward strategic programming offers the greatest reactionary process into a structured, data-driven process, opportunity for driving positive change. To mitigate potential ensuring that Ministry of Internal Affairs’ human resources risks, it recommended a monitoring and evaluation system office and training priorities align with institutional learning re- focused on long-term outcomes. quirements and operational needs.

External evaluation of the Democratic Policing Support for the Ministry of Internal Affairs in portfolio 2019–2023; Skopje, North Macedonia developing training capacities and organizing (1 April–20 May 2024) training-of-trainers courses on mid-level management; Skopje, North Macedonia The Mission commissioned two external consultants to eval- (15 April–8 November 2024) uate the Democratic Policing portfolio for the period 2019– 2023. The assessment reviewed the relevance, effective- The Mission collaborated with trainers from the Ministry of In- ness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of five phases of ternal Affairs’ Training Centre to equip them with the skills and Democratic Policing projects, focusing on how interventions knowledge needed to deliver a new mid-level management with the Ministry of Internal Affairs upheld the core princi- training programme for Ministry staff. The curriculum was ples of democratic policing. The evaluation concluded that based on the 2023 Mid-Level Management Training Needs the Mission’s support added significant value by strengthen- Analysis conducted by a Mission-commissioned expert and ing the Ministry’s capacity to maintain an acceptable level of two Centre trainers. This initiative strengthened leadership democratic policing. development within Ministry, ensuring a high-quality, sustain- able training programme for future mid-level managers.

111 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Supporting the Training Centre to enhance skills of Study visit to the Dutch National Police; Rotterdam, the newly appointed staff on training needs analysis the Netherlands (28–31 October 2024) and training-of-trainers; Skopje, North Macedonia (24 April–15 June 2024) The study visit of a North Macedonia delegation to the Dutch National Police focused on exchanging experienc- To address the trainer gap at the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ es and good practices in human resources management Training Centre, the Mission delivered ToT courses for newly within police organizations. Following recent amendments appointed trainers who lacked experience in training deliv- to the Law on Internal Affairs, which emphasize a merit- ery, pedagogical knowledge and methodology. To build their -based career development system, the visit to the Dutch skills, the Mission contracted an external consultant to de- National Police offered valuable insights for the delega- sign and deliver a five-day ToT course, equipping trainers tion. Discussions covered the organizational structure of with practical methodologies and training materials. The con- human resources management units, engagement with sultant also provided advanced instruction on training needs the labour market, and the Dutch Police’s approaches to analysis and introduced innovative training methods, with a recruitment, selection, training, career development and particular emphasis on role play. promotion. Participants also identified opportunities for ongoing collaboration and comparative analysis of the 7th Annual Prevention Workshop; Ohrid, North legal and practical aspects of human resources manage- Macedonia (8–10 October 2024) ment development within the Dutch Police.

The 7th Annual Prevention Workshop advanced prevention Revision of the Protocol for Co-operation between efforts within the police and supported the implementation the Ministry of Internal Affairs/Public Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Strategy on Community and the Ministry of Finance/Customs Administration; Engagement and Communication 2024–2026. The event Skopje, North Macedonia (22 November 2024) brought together key prevention officers and senior manage- ment representatives from the police and the Ministry. Dis- The Mission hosted and facilitated the official ceremony for cussions focused on prevention, community engagement, signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Min- women and security, addressing nationwide challenges and istry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Finance. A Protocol refining the strategy’s execution. of Implementation of the Memorandum was also signed be- tween the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Bureau of Public Secu- Assessing crime-scene investigation and forensic rity and the Customs Administration. The Mission support- capabilities; Skopje, North Macedonia ed an inclusive, locally driven revision of the border security (17 October 2024) protocol, ensuring institutional ownership despite leadership changes. Institutions managed the process independently, The Mission conducted a comprehensive assessment of building on previous Mission-supported initiatives and re- crime scene investigation and forensic capabilities to identify inforcing sustainable regulatory development. The updated gaps and enhance interagency co-operation. As part of this protocol aligns with contemporary legal frameworks and ad- effort, the Police Development Unit organized a discussion dresses evolving border security risks. forum on crime scene investigations and forensics within a broader project assessing national capacities in these fields. Creating internal regulations for ILP implementation The forum brought together representatives from eight Sec- within the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Skopje, North tors of Internal Affairs, the forensic laboratory and the Public Macedonia (November 2024) Prosecutor’s Office. Discussions focused on findings from desk research on current national legislation and interviews The Mission supported the Ministry of Internal Affairs in with representatives of Crime Scene Investigation Units and strengthening its ILP framework, building on the ILP Ac- Heads of Crime Police conducted during the project’s first tion Plan 2023–2025 and previous assessments. A working phase. group comprising representatives from key Ministry sectors revised and consolidated six interrelated SOPs into a legally binding ILP rulebook. This document enhances procedur- al clarity, ensures legal compliance, and aligns national ILP practices with international standards. A key achievement was the integration of anti-corruption measures into the rulebook, including mandatory reporting, periodic audits, and oversight mechanisms to improve transparency and ac- countability in intelligence operations. Additionally, a struc-

112  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

tured monitoring and evaluation framework was developed, Workshop on the selection system and procedures incorporating measurable indicators and streamlined report- at the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ohrid, North ing mechanisms. Macedonia (10–13 December 2024)

IT donation to Ministry of Internal Affairs to enhance The Mission continued to support the Ministry of Internal the ILP implementation process; Skopje, North Affairs in strengthening its human resources management Macedonia (December 2024) system by assisting with the development of by-laws and an internal regulatory framework for a merit-based approach. To enhance information management and support the imple- As part of these efforts, the Mission supported the Minis- mentation of ILP at the Sector for Internal Affairs (SIA) level, try’s human resources working group in organizing a two- the Mission donated IT equipment to all eight SIAs (24 units day workshop on recruitment systems and procedures. The in total, 3 per SIA). This contribution significantly improves workshop focused on key aspects of the promotion process data management, systematic data tracking and intelligence and internal job organization, with particular emphasis on analysis, streamlining information flow between central and establishing a General Competencies Framework for pro- regional levels, ensuring that intelligence reports and strate- motion candidates to enhance transparency and fairness in gic insights reach decision makers in a timely manner. The selection and ranking. The working group also recommend- upgraded digital infrastructure has enabled standardized ed creating a “List of Associated Working Tasks” to clarify storage and organization of information, aligning with the roles and facilitate the implementation of the amended Law newly developed SOPs for ILP implementation. Moreover, on Internal Affairs. It concluded that an appeal procedure for the improved digital system has enhanced the capacity to promotion results is not currently necessary, while ad hoc track and measure data collection, enabling more efficient commissions for job deployment and promotion process- intelligence production and further strengthening intelli- es should continue in alignment with the amended Law on gence-sharing mechanisms across law enforcement agen- Police Affairs. cies. Workshop on regional good practices of police Workshop on conflict of interest in policing; Berovo, women associations; Skopje, North Macedonia North Macedonia (1–6 December 2024) (10 December 2024)

The Mission organized the workshop “Conflict of Interest in The Mission convened representatives from six police wom- Policing: Risks, Practices, and Prevention” for staff of the en associations across South-Eastern Europe for a regional Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Internal Control and Professional knowledge-sharing session aimed at supporting the estab- Standards Department. Moderated by in-house experts of lishment of a police women association in North Macedonia. the Ministry, it covered the legal framework, management of Discussions focused on the legal and regulatory framework private interests conflicting with police duties, ethical dilem- required for its formation, emphasizing the importance of in- mas, and the importance of effectively addressing conflicts clusive stakeholder engagement to create a sustainable and of interest in policing. Two guest presenters from the Dutch effective association. National Police highlighted the role of leadership in promoting integrity and fostering a safe working environment, and also led a panel discussion focusing on the role of middle man- agement in addressing unprofessional behaviour and ethical challenges. The workshop facilitated interactive discussions on prevention strategies and challenges related to conflicts of interest. The active participation of female police officers ensured that gender-related aspects, including consensual relationships and sexual harassment, were examined. This initiative reinforced the Ministry’s commitment to profession- alism, integrity, ethical policing, and maintaining a safe work- ing environment.

113 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Addressing threats posed by criminal activity

Simulation exercise on protecting soft targets terrorist incidents. Key recommendations included formaliz- against terrorism in North Macedonia; Skopje, North ing joint operating principles, developing structured commu- Macedonia (24–25 October 2024) nication protocols, and establishing unified response guide- lines. The event brought together representatives from key The Mission supported law enforcement and security agen- institutions, laying the groundwork for a multi-agency work- cies in strengthening national resilience against terrorist ing group tasked with finalizing strategic recommendations threats to soft targets and public spaces. In co-operation and creating a national response protocol. Scenario-based with the National Co-ordinator for Counter-Terrorism and training exercises tested current capabilities and introduced Countering Violent Extremism, the Mission facilitated efforts international good practices. Additionally, initial steps were to address interagency co-ordination and preparedness taken to establish formal regulations, including protocols and gaps. The Mission organized a dedicated workshop to ex- SOPs based on the “Gold, Silver, and Bronze” command amine deficiencies in communication channels, operational structure, ensuring consistent and co-ordinated interagency responsibilities and interagency interoperability during live responses to terrorist threats.

114 2.2 Eastern Europe 2.2.1 Mission to Moldova

Introduction

The OSCE Mission to Moldova (the Mission) works to facilitate a comprehensive and sustainable political settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict in all its aspects, aimed at strengthening the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders, while providing a special status for Transdniestria. Since 2012, all 57 OSCE participating States have endorsed these principles of a final settlement through annual Ministerial Council Statements.

Spotlight on ▶ Technical equipment provided to Moldovan Police Academy for use in counter-trafficking; Chișinău, Moldova (4 September 2024)

Building on the success of the first national anti-trafficking simulation exercise conducted by the Mission in the fall of 2023, the Ștefan cel Mare Police Academy in Chișinău received a donation of critical technical equipment necessary to apply the skills gained during the exercise. In co-operation with the SR/CTHB, the Mission worked to strengthen the capacity of the police and other State and civil structures to investigate and prosecute cases of trafficking. With the support of the Norwegian Government, the Mission provided the necessary equipment to enable the Police Academy to expand its activities.

Ž Donation of equipment to the Moldovan Policy Academy (OSCE/Mission to Moldova)

115 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Ž Donation of equipment to the Moldovan Policy Academy (OSCE/Mission to Moldova)

116 2.3 Central Asia 2.3.1 Programme Office in Astana

Introduction

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana (POiA), based in Kazakhstan’s capital, addresses a broad range of security issues, including arms control, border management, counter-terrorism, THB, arms and drugs control, as well as economic, environmental, human rights, rule of law and media freedom topics.

On 23 September 2022, following the capital’s renaming, the Programme Office in Nur-Sultan officially became the Programme Office in Astana, as recorded in the Journal of the 1390th Plenary Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council. The mandate of the Office remains unchanged. Established in 1998 as the Centre in Almaty, the POiA supports the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments, fosters co-operation and information exchange, and assists the Government of Kazakhstan on police-related matters.

Ž Training-of-trainers course on women’s leadership in the security sector (OSCE)

117 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Spotlight on ▶ From trainee to trailblazer: A woman’s journey to leadership in Kazakhstan’s security sector; Kosshy, Kazakhstan

Marina Yugay, a dedicated police officer committed to justice and the empowerment of women in law enforcement, is an alumna of a ToT course on women’s leadership in the security sector, organized in previous years by the POiA. During the most recent ToT, co-hosted with the Law Enforcement Academy under the Office of the Prosecutor General, an all-female team of trainers— comprising experts from academia and various law enforcement agencies—shared invaluable insights on international and national gender equality frameworks, coaching methodologies and effective communication strategies.

This training was transformative in Yugay’s career, inspiring her to become a leading advocate for women’s leadership in law enforcement. Reflecting on the training, she noted: “The ToT was a revelation. It not only strengthened my professional skills in leadership but also significantly raised my gender awareness. The practical knowledge I gained has been instrumental in my personal development, preparing me for effective leadership and decision-making in my profession.”

Motivated by the training, Yugay returned to her alma mater, the Almaty Academy of the Ministry of the Interior, with a clear mission: to turn inspiration into action. She quickly became a driving force behind initiatives to advance gender equality and women’s leadership within the institution. “The training didn’t just inspire me—it empowered me to actively implement ideas around gender equality and women’s leadership at my own academy,” she shared.

Her efforts culminated in a pivotal role organizing the Academy’s annual Women’s Forum, which led to the establishment of a Women’s Committee under the Association of Military and Specialized Educational Institutions—a milestone achievement demonstrating both her leadership and the power of collective effort.

Yugay’s journey from trainee to trailblazer exemplifies the transformative impact of education, mentorship and collaboration. Her unwavering commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment is not only reshaping her own career, but also creating new pathways for future generations of women leaders in Kazakhstan’s security sector.

General police development and reform

Raising awareness of protecting critical ist Centre and Border Service of the National Security Com- infrastructure and public spaces from terrorist mittee, State Security Service, Law Enforcement Academy attacks in Kazakhstan; Kosshy, Kazakhstan and Astana City Administration. Discussions covered a wide (27–28 March 2024) range of topics, including risk assessments and mitigation for insider threats, the identification of inter-dependencies with- The POiA, together with TNTD/ATU and the Law Enforce- in critical infrastructure, public–private partnerships, human ment Academy, co-organized a national awareness-raising rights and privacy considerations, and business continuity workshop on protecting vulnerable targets from terrorist at- planning. Three independent international experts—officials tacks. Participants included representatives from the Ministry from UNOCT and the Government of France’s Agency for of the Interior, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Anti-Terror- French Education Abroad—shared expertise and good prac-

118  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

tices on safeguarding critical infrastructure and soft targets themselves alumni of earlier iterations of this course. They against terrorist attacks. shared their experiences and good practices for conduct- ing training within their own institutions. This collaboration Promoting gender-sensitive and -responsive demonstrates the POiA’s commitment to fostering sustain- personnel policies for human resources specialists able professional impact and effective knowledge transfer by across the security sector; Kosshy, Kazakhstan engaging individuals who have gained practical knowledge (4–5 April 2024) from past training activities.

The POiA, together with the Law Enforcement Academy, de- Advancing the women, peace and security livered a training course for human resources departments agenda: Shaping of policies and women’s role in from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Emer- peacekeeping; Astana, Kazakhstan gency Situations, Ministry of Defence, National Guard, An- (5 December 2024) ti-Corruption Agency, Financial Monitoring Agency, Supreme Court, State Revenue Committee and the National Security The POiA, together with the Law Enforcement Academy, or- Committee. Led by international and national experts, the ganized an international conference on the role of women course provided heads and deputy heads of human resourc- in promoting peace and security. Participants included rep- es departments with insights into global and local standards resentatives from Kazakhstan’s Prosecutor General’s Office, on gender equality and gender mainstreaming. Special at- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of the Interior, Ministry tention was given to the challenges women encounter in ad- of Culture and Information, other law enforcement agencies, vancing their careers within the security sector. The training the National Center for Human Rights in Kazakhstan, the further aimed to promote gender-sensitive strategies for pro- diplomatic corps, international organizations, CSOs and aca- fessional growth across law enforcement, judicial authorities, demia. Discussions addressed women’s rights, opportunities the military, civil defence, and the wider security and judicial for participation in political life and decision-making, the role sectors. of women in peacekeeping and humanitarian aid, as well as their contribution to public security and sustainable develop- Enhancing the leadership potential of future senior ment. Participants also explored initiatives to advance gen- managers in law enforcement bodies; Kosshy, der equality and women’s leadership in peace and security. Kazakhstan (9 September–4 October 2024)

The POiA, together with the Law Enforcement Academy, de- Addressing threats posed by livered a training course to prepare senior law enforcement criminal activity managers for critical roles in national security. The course covered a wide range of topics aimed at strengthening lead- ership and management competencies, including commu- Strengthening Kazakhstan’s capacity to combat nication, crisis and conflict management, project manage- drug-related crimes; Kosshy, Kazakhstan ment, and leadership development, with an emphasis on (22–26 April 2024) integrating gender equality principles. As part of the intensive four-week programme, three key training modules were de- The POiA, together with the Law Enforcement Academy and livered by POiA-supported national experts. These modules the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics further enhanced participants’ knowledge and practical skills and Law Enforcement Affairs, conducted a simulation exer- in these critical areas, ensuring alignment with the demands cise focusing on combating drug-related crimes for law en- and challenges of Kazakhstan’s law enforcement system. forcement officers from Almaty and the provinces of Akmola, Karaganda and North Kazakhstan. The simulation exercise Advancing women’s leadership in the security included practical demonstrations of online criminal activities sector; Kosshy, Kazakhstan (8–10 October 2024) to develop participants’ skills in addressing drug trafficking and money laundering. It also emphasized fostering inter- The POiA, together with the Law Enforcement Academy, de- agency co-operation between financial intelligence units and livered a course on women’s leadership in the security sector. law enforcement agencies. Trainers from academia and educational centres of law en- forcement, the military, civil protection, and specialized gov- ernment agencies focused on both international and nation- al gender equality provisions, as well as on using coaching as a leadership tool to unlock potential and support career growth. The sessions were led by national experts who were

119 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Workshops series on applying modern technologies and Zhetisu. The training enhanced their skills in identifying, to address trafficking in human beings; Almaty, suppressing and investigating criminal activities on the inter- Kazakhstan (28–30 May & 4–6 November 2024) net. The activity was conducted by an international expert alongside specialists from the Law Enforcement Academy, The POiA organized two training workshops in Almaty on the Agency of Financial Monitoring, the Ministry of the Interior investigating technology-facilitated THB. The workshops tar- and an IT company. geted police officers from the Ministry of the Interior’s Depart- ments on Combating Organized Crimes from North, East and Enhancing Kazakhstan’s capacities in cybercrime West Kazakhstan, and were implemented in co-operation investigations; Kosshy, Kazakhstan (21–24 October with the International Centre for Migration Policy Develop- 2024) ment. The curriculum, based on pilot courses held in 2023, was updated with modules on web scraping, machine learn- The POiA and the Law Enforcement Academy conducted ing tools and cyber infiltration techniques. These advance- a training course for prosecutors involved in cybercrime in- ments enhance the identification of control elements used vestigations. The course introduced key concepts and good by criminal networks and strengthen evidence collection and practices for investigating cybercrime and handling digital proactive safeguarding operations. The training also covered evidence. Participants received practical training on docu- strategies for conducting covert online operations, including menting and collecting digital evidence as part of cybercrime investigation of sexual and gender-based exploitation, illegal casework. recruitment, advertising for forced labour and organ removal, money laundering and child trafficking. Strengthening law enforcement’s operational capacities to combat terrorism and extremism in Strengthening Kazakhstan’s international Kazakhstan; Kosshy, Kazakhstan (20–22 November commitments to combating drug trafficking; Almaty, 2024) Kazakhstan (10–14 June 2024) The POiA, in partnership with the Law Enforcement Acade- The POiA, in partnership with the Law Enforcement Acade- my, conducted a workshop for representatives of the Pros- my and the US State Department’s Bureau of International ecutor General’s Office, the Agency of Financial Monitoring, Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, organized a simu- and the Ministry of the Interior. The workshop focused on lation exercise on detecting drug crimes online and inves- balancing counter-extremism measures with freedom of tigating money laundering. The exercise was held at the speech principles within the framework of national criminal Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre law, international practices for addressing terrorism financ- in Almaty. Participants included officers from the Law En- ing, the use of OSINT tools for operational and analytical forcement Academy and law enforcement representatives activities, and international approaches to requesting and from Astana and the provinces of Abay, East Kazakhstan, handling electronic evidence.

120  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

2.3.2 Programme Office in Bishkek

Introduction

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB), formerly known as the Centre in Bishkek, was established in 1998 (and became operational in 1999) to promote the implementation of OSCE commitments across all three dimensions of comprehensive security. It also serves to facilitate information exchange, foster contacts with local authorities, academia and civil society institutions, and provide support in line with the evolving needs and priorities of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Spotlight on ▶ Breaking free: How collaborative efforts are transforming lives in Kyrgyzstan’s anti-drug fight; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (throughout 2024)

The fight against youth drug addiction is gaining momentum in Kyrgyzstan, driven by a strong partnership between the POiB and the Service for Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Their joint annual prevention initiatives are producing tangible results, with a noticeable decline in adolescent substance abuse in Bishkek—and inspiring personal stories of transformation along the way.

A teen’s journey from risk to resilience

Take 15-year-old Aibek (name changed), whose life took a dangerous turn when he drifted away from school and into the grip of harmful influences. Through the 2024 campaign’s targeted outreach, inspectors and psychologists stepped in, offering Aibek regular counselling and support. Just as crucially, his parents became active partners in his recovery, attending workshops on fostering open communication and building a nurturing home environment.

“It wasn’t just about saying ‘no’ to drugs,” explains one project co-ordinator. “It was about giving Aibek— and teens like him—a reason to say ‘yes’ to a better future.”

More than prevention: Building pathways to purpose

The initiative goes beyond crisis intervention; it focuses on empowerment. The POiB and the Service for Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking have launched sports leagues, creative arts clubs, and volunteer pro- grammes as vibrant alternatives to risky behaviour. These spaces are more than just activities—they’re communities where teens like Aibek discover confidence, forge friendships and unlock hidden talents.

Months later, the impact speaks volumes: Aibek is back in school and competing in regional sports events. His story underscores the power of a holistic approach—one that weaves together family, mentors, schools and peer networks.

121 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

The numbers: A nationwide movement

What began as a goal to reach 1,500 young people has exploded into a national wave of change:

ƒ 9,739 young people engaged in 2024 anti-drug campaigns

ƒ 4,900+ students attended workshops promoting healthy lifestyles

ƒ 4,800+ participants joined marathons and bike races advocating drug-free living

ƒ 60+ events nationwide, fuelled by OSCE-provided educational materials

Why this works

“Success lies in addressing the whole ecosystem,” says a POiB staff member. “When we equip parents to sup- port their kids, provide positive outlets, and celebrate progress—even small wins—we create lasting change.” From motivational prizes to book grants, every detail is designed to reinforce hope and resilience.

As Kyrgyzstan’s youth rewrite their stories, this collaboration proves that ending addiction is not only about stopping drugs—it’s about starting futures.

General police development and reform

POiB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs sign 2024 Seminar on maintaining the mental health of police Co-operation Plan; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan staff; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (17–19 April 2024) (20 February 2024) To support the professional development and networking The POiB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs signed the 2024 of psychologists working for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Co-operation Plan, reviewing the successful implementation the POiB, in co-operation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the previous year’s plan and discussing the further devel- and the Saint Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal opment of bilateral relations, ongoing reforms and expanded Affairs of the Russian Federation, conducted a working sem- co-operation with international partners. inar titled “Maintaining mental health of staff” at the Republi- can Training Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Bish- POiB and the Kyrgyz Association of Women in kek, Kyrgyzstan. The seminar brought together participants the Security Sector sign 2024 Co-operation Plan; from six regions of Kyrgyzstan and was led by an internation- Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (27 February 2024) al expert, who shared theoretical and practical approaches to psychology within internal affairs bodies. The POiB and the Kyrgyz Association of Women in the Secu- rity Sector signed the 2024 Co-operation Plan, outlining key Support for Mobile Police Reception (MPR) joint activities to be implemented across the country. During monitoring and co-ordination centres; throughout the signing ceremony, the Chairperson of the Association Kyrgyzstan emphasized the importance of the POiB’s support in em- (10–28 June 2024) powering women in law enforcement agencies, combating gender-based and domestic violence, and preventing crimes The POiB conducted visits to territorial police stations oper- against youth. ating MPR vehicles to monitor and assess the effectiveness of MPR work in the cities of Bishkek and Osh, as well as in the regions of Batken, Chüy, Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad, Naryn

122  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

and Osh. During the visits, the monitoring team held inter- challenges and opportunities in the development of the MPR views with representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs activities throughout the country. The meeting brought to- and MPR teams. The monitoring team also evaluated MPR gether participants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, local operations during community visits and reviewed relevant re- government authorities, MPR teams and members of the porting documents. MPR Local Public Councils Association.

Establishment of the Crime Prevention Centre at Training session on democratic policing principles the Ministry of Internal Affairs Republican Training and maintaining community security; throughout Centre; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (25–27 June 2024) Kyrgyzstan (12–23 August & 17–28 September 2024)

The POiB supported the Ministry of Internal Affairs in con- The POiB and the Public Safety Department of the Minis- ducting a training course on crime prevention, led by inter- try of Internal Affairs conducted educational seminars at the national experts. Police officers from various Ministry depart- regional police departments in the regions of Batken, Chüy, ments enhanced their knowledge of traffic safety and petty Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad, Naryn and Osh. The seminars brought crimes. The course was launched with the official opening together community policing officers, juvenile delinquency of the Crime Prevention Center at the Republican Training inspectors, local government authorities, active members of Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was equipped civil society and Mobile Police Reception teams to discuss with IT equipment provided with the POiB’s support. community policing principles, the prevention of domestic violence, and VERLT. Local Public Councils Association organizes Mobile Police Reception co-operation meeting; Jalal-Abad, Introduction of a new Mobile Police Reception Kyrgyzstan (20 June 2024) (MPR) team; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (30 October 2024)

The Mobile Police Receptions (MPR) Local Public Councils The POiB donated a fully equipped MPR vehicle to the Minis- Association organized a co-ordination meeting to discuss try of Internal Affairs and assisted in conducting an induction

Ž Painting over advertisements for illegal drugs (OSCE)

123  ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

training course for new MPR team members of the Oktyabr Information session for schoolchildren on the rights, District Police Department in Bishkek. Currently, 60 MPR ve- duties and responsibilities of minors, countering hicles are operating in 53 police departments throughout the transnational threats and preventing domestic country, 47 of which were introduced with the support of the violence; throughout Kyrgyzstan (9–21 September & OSCE. 29 September–6 October 2024)

Training seminar on peace-building for law enforce- The POiB supported an initiative of the Kyrgyz Association ment officers; Bishkek, Kadamjay, and Osh, Kyr- of Women in the Security Sector to conduct information gyzstan (26–28 November 2024) sessions on the rights, duties and responsibilities of minors, countering transnational threats and preventing domestic vi- The POiB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Kyrgyz As- olence. The sessions were held in 28 schools in all seven re- sociation of Women in the Security Sector conducted a se- gions of the Kyrgyzstan, reaching 2,830 high school students ries of seminars in the cities of Bishkek, Kadamjay and Osh (1,556 young women, 1,274 young men), who strengthened for police officers, representatives of various Ministry servic- their understanding of juvenile rights, transnational threat es, and city and territorial police departments. The seminars prevention and domestic violence prevention. The sessions aimed to enhance the participants’ understanding of peace- were successfully organized with the active support of local building by strengthening the rule of law, protecting human Juvenile Delinquency Inspectors in the regions, as well as rights, and highlighting the role of police in peacekeeping local representatives of the Association. processes.

Ž Football tournament for young people in Osh (OSCE)

124  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence Establishing a national notification mechanism campaign; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (5 December 2024) on the emergence of new synthetic drugs and psychoactive substances; Kyrgyzstan (2 July & 19 The POiB and the Kyrgyz Association of Women in the Se- December 2024) curity Sector organized a round table to support the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence cam- The POiB supported interagency meetings of the State Co- paign. Representatives from the Presidential Administra- ordinating Committee for the Control of Narcotic Drugs, Psy- tion, the Ombudsperson’s Office, the Ministry of Internal chotropic Substances, and Precursors to review the imple- Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration, mentation of the Action Plan for the Anti-Drug Programme. and civil society discussed the importance of developing The meeting also addressed the enforcement of the Cabinet legislative and practical tools to strengthen women’s ca- of Ministers’ instruction “On the Operational Consideration of pacity and role as active participants in preventing violence Adding New Psychoactive Substances to Controlled Lists” against women and girls. On the same day, participants and the protocol on measures to counter the illegal trafficking attended a performance by students of the Kyrgyz State of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. University addressing the eradication of gender-based and The meeting also served as a platform for discussing the new domestic violence. anti-drug programme (2027–2031), which is in development by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Addressing threats posed by Implementing the “Antinar” project; Bishkek, criminal activity Kyrgyzstan (1 July 2024) and St. Petersburg, Russian Federation (10–15 December 2024)

Donation of portable fingerprint scanners and The POiB supported an interagency meeting to prepare for laptops, and training courses for police officers the implementation of the “Antinar” project in Kyrgyzstan. conducting forensic investigations; Bishkek and “Antinar” is a State information system used in St. Petersburg Osh, Kyrgyzstan (12 September & 26 November for comprehensive analysis of the drug situation across all 2024) sectors. The meeting brought together representatives from the Kyrgyz Service for Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking and The POiB donated nine portable fingerprint scanners and a delegation from St. Petersburg, who presented the “Auto- nine laptops to the territorial police departments of the Min- mated Information System ‘Antinar’”. A system demonstra- istry of Internal Affairs. This equipment has improved the effi- tion was held with the participation of representatives from ciency and effectiveness of forensic investigations conducted multiple ministries of Kyrgyzstan. In addition, a presentation by the territorial police departments of the Ministry of Internal titled “Social and Psychological Testing in the Russian Fed- Affairs. The POiB also supported training sessions on the use eration on the Use of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Sub- of the fingerprint scanners, during which participants learned stances: Practical Experience and Results” was delivered. about the devices’ key functions and exchanged practical A follow-up visit to St. Petersburg for representatives from experiences in fingerprint and palm data collection. State and municipal institutions of Kyrgyzstan enabled them to gain hands-on knowledge and strategies for adopting a similar model, aimed at improving the effectiveness and co-ordination of drug prevention efforts in Kyrgyzstan.

125 2.3.3 Programme Office in Dushanbe

Introduction

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

Spotlight on ▶ Rallying a nation: How youth in Tajikistan are leading the charge against drug abuse; Dushanbe, Tajikistan (throughout 2024)

In June 2024, the POiD and Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency (DCA) joined forces to empower a generation through the “Youth Against Drugs” campaign. Spanning 24 days and six regions— Khorog, Kulyab, Bokhtar, Tursunzade, Khujand and Dushanbe—this nationwide movement combined sports, education and community action to combat drug addiction and ignite hope.

More than a campaign: A catalyst for change

Kicking off on June 5, the initiative brought together over 5,000 participants—ranging from competitive athletes to grassroots organizers—for a series of high-energy sports tournaments, award ceremonies, and educational workshops. But this was no ordinary event series: every soccer

Ž Football tournament awards ceremony (OSCE/Khaydar Mahmadiev)

126  Police-Related Activities of Field Operations

match, every race, and every unfurled banner carried a powerful message—healthier choices mean brighter futures.

“Drug addiction isn’t just a statistic; it’s a thief of potential,” emphasized Mr. Dilshod Barotiyon, Head of the DCA’s Prevention Unit. “By uniting stakeholders, equipping communities, and amplifying youth voices, we’re building walls against this threat—one town, one school, one family at a time.”

The numbers: A grassroots revolution

ƒ 5,000+ energized participants across Tajikistan’s diverse regions

ƒ 20+ days of action, from 5 to 26 June 2024

ƒ Critical support: the POiD provided sports gear, educational materials and branded prizes to drive engagement

ƒ Strategic alignment: Directly advancing Tajikistan’s National Drug Control Strategy (2021–2030)

The game plan: Sports, education, community

The campaign’s success hinged on a three-pronged approach:

1. A  wareness: Banners and workshops educated youth on the devastating ripple effects of drug abuse.

2. A  lternatives: Soccer matches, races and competitions channelled energy into teamwork and healthy rivalries.

3. A  dvocacy: Local leaders, parents, and educators were mobilized to sustain momentum long after the final whistle.

In Bokhtar, a teen volleyball team raised banners reading “Our Goals Are Drug-Free”; in Khujand, mar- athon winners received medals alongside pamphlets on peer support networks. Even souvenirs— water bottles, notebooks and shirts branded with anti-drug slogans—became tools for everyday advocacy.

Ž Martial arts competition for young people (OSCE/Bahrom Alimov)

127 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

General police development and Addressing threats posed by reform criminal activity

Strengthening police–community dialogue; Strengthening Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency’s throughout Tajikistan (March–November 2024) online investigation capabilities; Dushanbe, Tajikistan (8–10 October 2024) As part of a community policing project, the POiD supported Public Councils on Police Reform and Ensuring Public Order The POiD organized the hands-on training course “OSINT in Dushanbe, as well as in the regions of Khatlon, Sughd and Online Investigations: Introductory Level” for officers and Kulyab. These Public Councils foster stronger interac- from Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency (DCA). Led by an in- tion between communities and the police, build trust, and ternational expert, the course strengthened the participants’ expand outreach efforts. The Public Councils conducted ability to gather, analyse and use publicly available online 28 awareness-raising campaigns targeting youth, held nine information as a tool for criminal investigations. This train- round tables with local officials and media, and organized six ing is essential for the DCA, equipping officers with the skills experience-sharing trips across Tajikistan. In three regions, needed to investigate cybercrimes linked to illicit drug traf- the Public Councils, together with local police departments ficking, terrorism and organized crime. By enhancing their and units, held 129 meetings that allowed territorial police OSINT capabilities, the officers are now better prepared to inspectors to report directly to the public. Additionally, ten address the growing challenges of online criminal activities. monthly information bulletins (2,000 copies each) were dis- The knowledge and techniques gained during the course will tributed, nine media articles were published, six TV reports significantly improve their ability to safeguard public safety aired, and two radio shows were produced. Seven talk and conduct more effective law enforcement operations in shows highlighted the work of police inspectors, while more Tajikistan. than 50 Facebook posts promoted activities. These efforts strengthened police–community dialogue, increased pub- lic awareness, and advanced law enforcement initiatives in Tajikistan.

128 2.3.4 Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

Introduction

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), established in 2006, supports the host country’s authorities in implementing OSCE commitments in the politico-military field, socio-economic development, environmental security, and in strengthening good governance, democratization, human rights and the rule of law. The PCUz assists the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in improving educational processes, with a particular emphasis on training and professional development for specialists and cadets. Special focus is placed on combating violent extremism and terrorism, as well as on enhancing cybersecurity.

In 2024, the PCUz continued to implement project activities agreed upon by the host Government, in line with the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan 2022–2026.

Spotlight on ▶ Training course “Human Rights Compliant Policing of Assemblies”; Tashkent, Uzbekistan (24–26 September 2024)

The PCUz, in co-operation with ODIHR, held a three-day in-person training course titled “Human Rights Compliant Policing of Assemblies”. The event brought together 17 law enforcement officers (15 men and 2 women) from various agencies. The training aimed to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement officials to facilitate and manage public assemblies in line with international human rights standards, while sharing good practices from across the OSCE area. Key topics included public order management, threat assessment, minimum use of force and accountability mechanisms. The course was based on ODIHR’s Human Rights Training Guide to Policing Assemblies, which has already been successfully implemented in participating States such as Moldova and Mongolia. This was the first time such a training course on human rights-compliant policing of assemblies was organized in Uzbekistan by the OSCE.

Ž Training course “Human Rights Compliant Policing of Assemblies” (OSCE/Andrew Yurkovsky)

129 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

General police development and reform

Training-of-trainers course on torture prevention countries took part in a virtual discussion focusing on the in closed institutions based on the Nelson Mandela management of women’s prison facilities in Uzbekistan and Rules; Tashkent, Uzbekistan (30 April–3 May 2024) Norway. During the round table, participants reviewed cur- rent good practices for supporting women in detention and The PCUz, jointly with the National Human Rights Centre of discussed gender-specific needs, as well as possible areas Uzbekistan and the Department of Penal Correction under for collaboration between the two countries. The dialogue the Ministry of Internal Affairs, conducted a ToT course on emphasized the importance of implementing international torture prevention in penitentiary institutions. Participants human rights protection practices in correctional settings. acquired knowledge of the fundamental aspects of the Op- tional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Oth- Training course “Intelligence-Led Policing – From er Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Theory to Practice”; Tashkent, Uzbekistan and on the core provisions of the Nelson Mandela Rules. (21–22 November 2024) The course offered guidance on implementing minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners, while encour- The PCUz, in co-operation with the Academy of the Ministry aging the adoption and development of higher standards of Internal Affairs, organized a two-day training course titled of prison management, prisoner treatment and detention “Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP) – From Theory to Practice”. conditions. The course introduced representatives of the Academy with ILP as a modern, proactive law enforcement model and a Training on the analysis of digital evidence and viable alternative to traditionally reactive policing approaches study visit to the National Forensic Service under used in OSCE participating States. the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Security of the Republic of Korea; Seoul, Republic of Korea International conference “Global Challenges (2–6 September 2024) and Threats in Law Enforcement: Problems and Solutions”; Tashkent, Uzbekistan The PCUz, in co-operation with the Law Enforcement Acad- (21–22 November 2024) emy of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Security of the Republic of Korea, organized a The PCUz supported the international conference “Global training course on digital evidence analysis, complemented Challenges and Threats in Law Enforcement: Problems and by a study visit to the National Forensic Service under the Solutions”, organized by the Law Enforcement Academy of Korean Ministry for representatives from Uzbekistan’s Law the Republic of Uzbekistan. The conference provided a plat- Enforcement Academy. This initiative provided an opportu- form to discuss and analyse innovative approaches in law nity to exchange good practices and establish scientific and enforcement education, exchange experiences in training practical co-operation in digital forensics. personnel for investigative and operational activities in re- sponse to modern challenges, and explore current issues in Roundtable discussion on gender-sensitive prison crime investigation. management strategies; Tashkent, Uzbekistan (31 October 2024) Webinar on the misuse of AI for criminal purposes; Tashkent, Uzbekistan (26 November 2024) The PCUz, jointly with the National Center for Human Rights and the Department of Penal Correction under the Ministry The PCUz and TNTD/SPMU organized a webinar on con- of Internal Affairs, organized a roundtable discussion with temporary policing trends at the Academy of the Ministry of representatives of the penitentiary services of Norway and Internal Affairs. The event aimed to raise awareness of key Uzbekistan on gender-sensitive prison management strat- developments in modern policing, with a particular focus on egies, good practices and challenges. Officers from both the misuse of AI for criminal purposes.

130  3 Police-Related Activities of other OSCE Institutions 3.1 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 implementing their human dimension commitments. In this role, ODIHR works with governments and civil society—in close co-operation with other OSCE executive structures and international organizations—to promote the compliance of policing practices with the fundamental principles of democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and tolerance and non-discrimination.

Spotlight on ▶ Icelandic Police deliver hate crime training throughout Iceland; Reykjavik, Iceland (14–16 May 2024)

ODIHR held a three-day ToT course to equip eight police professionals in Iceland with the practical tools and knowledge needed to deliver ODIHR’s hate crime training across the police force. The aim was to ensure a consistent approach to implementing recent amendments to Iceland’s hate crime legislation and to strengthen support for hate crime victims. As a result, Icelandic Police now has eight fully trained hate crime trainers who will cascade the training nationwide over the following months and years, ensuring that police officers at all levels across Iceland can better recognize, record and investigate hate crime cases, ultimately improving access to justice and support for hate crime victims.

“As an inspector in the police in Iceland I believe that ODIHR’s training on hate crime is essential for police officers everywhere, said Símon Geir Geirsson, Community Police Officer on the Westman Islands. “The course helps police officers better detect bias indicators in hate crime and assists with investigations of such crime. I believe the training will also help us share our experience with our police force, making us a better officers and human beings.”

“This training was very helpful and opened my eyes to the fact that hate crimes are something we can actually act on, without creating extra work for police officers, if only they ask the right questions,” said Arndís Soffía Sigurðardóttir, lawyer at the Police Chief’s Office of the Police District of Southern Iceland.15

15 See more at https://fb.watch/seZx_NuUxc/ OSCE 2024, Hate Crime Training for Icelandic Police: Train-the-trainer course [webpage], accessible at https://www.osce.org/odihr/568240

132  Police-Related Activities of other OSCE Institutions

Ž Statement of a participant (OSCE/ODIHR)

Ž Role-playing exercise (OSCE/ODIHR)

General police development and reform

TAHCLE (Training Against Hate Crimes for Law updated course built upon the previous curriculum devel- Enforcement) training-of-trainers for Romanian oped for Romania in 2017. Police; Sibiu, Romania (6–8 February 2024) Effective and human rights-compliant policing in ODIHR, in co-operation with the Inspectorate General of Roma and Sinti communities; Sibiu, Romania Romanian Police, delivered a ToT course for police focal (20–23 February 2024) points on hate crime in Romania under ODIHR’s TAHCLE programme. The course followed the standard TAHCLE cur- ODIHR, together with the Inspectorate General of the Roma- riculum, adapted to meet local needs, and introduced new nian Police, delivered the ToT course “Effective and human modules on the sensitive and respectful treatment of hate rights-compliant policing in Roma and Sinti communities”. crime victims as well as addressing unconscious bias. This The course was attended by police officers from the Criminal

133 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Investigation Directorates and Hate Crimes Investigation Of- Regional training course for detention monitoring; fices from across Romania. The ToT course strengthened the Skopje, North Macedonia (26–27 March 2024) capacity of police officers working in Roma, Sinti and mixed communities by promoting effective policing strategies that ODIHR delivered an in-depth training course for Albanian- are fair, responsive to the needs of the people they serve, and Macedonian-speaking detention monitors titled “De- and compliant with human rights standards. It also increased tention monitoring and the protection of human rights while participants’ knowledge of, and sensitivity to, gender- preventing and countering violent extremism and radicaliza- -specific issues faced by Roma and Sinti women. tion to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons”. The course gathered participants from national human rights institutions, national Regional Gender and Security Conference – Session preventive mechanisms under the Optional Protocol to the III: Associations, networks and mechanisms for UN Convention against Torture, and civil society detention equality, anti-discrimination and empowerment monitors from Albania and North Macedonia as well as of women in law enforcement; Skopje, North Kosovo. Based on ODIHR’s practical guidance16, the course Macedonia (7–8 March 2024) strengthened participants’ understanding of the key human rights issues in the context of preventing and countering The objective of the Session III of the Regional Gender and VERLT in prisons, and trained them to assess prison-based Security Conference was to explore how women police as- security strategies for compliance with human rights stand- sociations and other networks of policewomen can be effec- ards. The sessions were led by ODIHR human rights and tive mechanisms to increase the representation of women in counter-terrorism experts, together with an expert in deten- law enforcement, including at mid- and senior management tion monitoring. levels. The session also provided an opportunity to reflect on the findings of an ODIHR-commissioned research paper on Conference on hate crime at CEPOL and Joint policewomen associations in the OSCE area, as well as the Meeting of European Commission Working Groups experiences of SPMU and other stakeholders. on Hate Crime and Hate Speech; Budapest, Hungary (24–25 April 2023) Police Hate Crime Conference; Bern, Switzerland (8 March 2024) At a joint meeting of the three working groups under the Eu- ropean Commission High Level Group on Combating Hate ODIHR participated in a conference co-organized by the Bern Crime and Hate Speech, organized by CEPOL, ODIHR Cantonal Police, the University of Bern and the Swiss Police contributed to sessions addressing the resurgence of hate Institute on hate crime data collection and co-operation with speech and hate crime in Europe following the 7 October affected communities. During the event, ODIHR presented 2023 attacks, the challenges of effective investigations and key findings of the 2022 Hate Crime Report, shared key ob- prosecution of hate crime and hate speech, and address- servations on Switzerland, and emphasized the importance ing discrimination and racism in policing. ODIHR also led a of hate crime data recording and collection to raise aware- breakout group discussion on strengthening transnational ness and strengthen Switzerland’s response to hate crime. law enforcement co-operation in combating hate crime. Ad- ditionally, ODIHR presented details of its project being imple- Establishing a victim-centred and intersectional mented with the European Commission on hate crime victim approach in tackling hate crime; Vilnius, Lithuania support. (15–16 March 2024) Training sessions on the identification and referral The final conference of ODIHR’s Counter Hate project of victims and potential victims of human trafficking; brought together representatives of CSOs and academia, as Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and Vienna, Austria well as the Lithuanian Police, Ministry of Justice and Ombud- (24 April & 23 July 2024) sperson’s Office. ODIHR presented findings from the latest Hate Crime Report, key observations on Lithuania, and the ODIHR conducted training sessions for mid-to-senior lev- essential elements of an effective hate-crime victim support el officials from border, migration, internal affairs, customs, system, along with the available ODIHR tools and guidance maritime security, and drug control agencies from fourteen in this field. participating States and Partners for Co-operation. The ses- sions focused on countering human trafficking, practical tools

16 OSCE 2021, Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors, accessible at https://www.osce.org/odihr/492934

134  Police-Related Activities of other OSCE Institutions

to enhance participants’ understanding of victim vulnerabili- ODIHR presented the definition of hate crime, key bias indi- ties, proactive identification strategies and the importance of cators, approaches to assessing the individual needs of hate survivor-informed indicators in detecting victims and poten- crime victims, and methods for ensuring their sensitive and tial victims of trafficking. In addition to these tools, the training respectful treatment. The courses were based on materials emphasized the critical distinction between human trafficking adapted from the standard TAHCLE curriculum. and migrant smuggling, offering guidance on applying this knowledge in practice. Beyond technical expertise, the ses- Webinar on the role of independent detention sions also fostered essential soft skills, enabling participants monitoring and protecting human rights in prisons to better identify potential victims, assess vulnerabilities, and while preventing and countering violent extremism recognize the push factors that increase the risk of traffick- and radicalization to terrorism (VERLT); online ing and exploitation. A trafficking survivor leader contribut- (11 June 2024) ed short sessions on the importance of a trauma-informed, survivor-centred approach to identifying both adult and child ODIHR and Penal Reform International organized a webi- victims, sharing lived-experience insights on improving the nar to launch the French translation of Protecting Human detection of potential trafficking cases. Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors17. Study trip to Poland of Dutch Police; Warsaw, The event featured a moderated panel discussion with na- Poland (21 May 2024) tional and international experts and detention monitors from French-speaking countries. The webinar provided a platform ODIHR attended a meeting of Dutch police officers and rep- to promote independent detention monitoring across the resentatives of the Polish police to exchange experiences on OSCE area, aiming to strengthen the protection of the rights combating discrimination and hate crimes, and to discuss of persons deprived of liberty while effectively preventing and related challenges. Following a presentation by the Polish countering VERLT in prisons. The webinar brought togeth- police, ODIHR provided an international perspective, high- er national and international experts, as well as detention lighting common challenges faced by law enforcement in monitors from National Human Rights Institutions, National addressing hate crimes and explaining how ODIHR’s training Preventive Mechanisms, and civil society in French-speaking programmes help address some of these issues. The visit participating States, Partners for Co-operation and beyond. was organized by the Dutch Jewish Police Network in co-op- The event also included French-speaking representatives of eration with the Anne Frank House in the Netherlands. relevant authorities, including policymakers, penitentiary staff and counter-terrorism practitioners from the region. Training-of-trainers course on policing and human rights in the framework of the Women, Peace and Regional training course for detention monitors from Security agenda; Warsaw, Poland (27–30 May 2024) selected European countries; Warsaw, Poland (2–3 July 2024) ODIHR, jointly with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, organized ODIHR organized a regional training course for detention a ToT course on policing and human rights within the frame- monitors from selected European countries titled “Detention work of the Women, Peace and Security agenda for wom- monitoring and the protection of human rights while prevent- en law enforcement officers and representatives of women ing and countering violent extremism and radicalization to police associations from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The terrorism (VERLT) in prisons”, bringing together independent course provided participants with an overview of ODIHR’s detention monitors from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the work on policing and human rights and offered practical rec- Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom. The course ommendations for integrating the Women, Peace and Secu- aimed to improve participants’ understanding of key human rity agenda into their daily work. Participants were also intro- rights issues related to preventing and countering VERLT in duced to various human rights topics and trained on how to prisons and to strengthen their ability to assess related pris- deliver the content to the staff of their respective institutions. on-based security strategies for human rights compliance. Participants included practitioners from national human TAHCLE hate crime training for Polish Police; rights institutions, national torture prevention mechanisms, Legionowo, Poland (4 June & 18 October 2024) CSOs, as well as lawyers specializing in detention moni- toring, penitentiary reform and criminal justice. The diverse ODIHR contributed to training courses on preventing and addressing hate crimes organized by the Polish Police Train- ing Centre in Legionowo. The sessions were a part of a 17 OSCE 2021, Protecting Human Rights in Prisons while Preventing Radicalization Leading to Terrorism or Violence: A Guide for Detention Monitors, accessible at nationwide course for representatives of the Polish Police. https://www.osce.org/odihr/492934

135 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

professional backgrounds of the participants, their respective Addressing racially motivated crimes against Roma, practical experience of prison conditions across Europe and Sinti and Travellers: Towards effective and non- the trainers’ use of concrete examples and case studies con- discriminatory policing; Kutna Hora, Czech Republic tributed to a highly conducive learning environment. (28 October–1 November 2024)

Exchange of views on training law enforcement A course on addressing racially motivated crimes against and other criminal justice actors on hate crimes; Roma, Sinti and Travellers, as well as effective and non-dis- Strasbourg, France (3 July 2024) criminatory policing, was implemented by ODIHR and the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Ministry of Interior The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Czech Republic. Based on a joint training portfolio, the invited ODIHR to participate in an in camera session of its course aimed to strengthen the capacity of police officers plenary for an exchange of views on training law enforcement working in Roma, Sinti and mixed communities. Participants officials and other criminal justice actors in countering hate learned how to apply effective policing strategies that are crime, as well as addressing racism and intolerance within responsive to the needs of these communities while com- law enforcement agencies. ODIHR shared insights from its plying with human rights standards. They also studied Eu- twenty years of experience in training and capacity-build- ropean non-discrimination standards and the jurisprudence ing on hate crimes for law enforcement and other criminal of the European Court of Human Rights on preventing and justice actors through its flagship TAHCLE and PAHCT pro- investigating racially motivated crimes, while increasing their grammes. It also outlined key lessons learned and consider- understanding of gender-specific issues faced by women in ations for ensuring that such training is both impactful and these communities. sustainable. Diagnostic workshop for assessing national Training on human rights-compliant policing of structures and services for hate crime victim assemblies; Tashkent, Uzbekistan support; Prague, Czech Republic (23–27 September 2024) (31 October–1 November 2024)

ODIHR organized a law enforcement commander’s train- ODIHR, in co-operation with the Office of the Government of ing course on the human rights-compliant policing of public the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Justice, organized a assemblies for law enforcement officers in Uzbekistan. The diagnostic workshop for assessing national structures and training curriculum was based on internationally recognized services for hate crime victim support in the Czech Republic. good practices outlined in ODIHR’s Human Rights Hand- The workshop aimed to evaluate the current system, identify book on Policing Assemblies18. gaps and shortcomings, and develop a priority action plan with recommendations for improvement. Thematic sessions CEPOL course on hate crime; online focused on individual needs assessment procedures, the (2 October 2024) sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime victims, and the overall functioning of the hate crime victim support sys- ODIHR was invited to contribute to a course on hate crimes tem. organized by the Hellenic Police Academy, in co-opera- tion with the Hellenic Police State Security Directorate and Training-of-trainers course on hate crimes for the the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training Gendarmerie Nationale in France; Paris, France (CEPOL), for representatives of police forces from across (6–7 November 2024) Europe. The course aimed to strengthen law enforcement responses to hate crime. ODIHR’s session focused on the ODIHR contributed to a ToT course on hate crimes for the principles of sensitive and respectful treatment of hate crime French Gendarmerie Nationale, organized by the OCLCH victims. Trainees discussed the impact of unconscious bias (Office central de lutte contre les crimes contre l’humanité). on their performance as police officers when dealing with vic- The programme covered the concepts of hate crime and tims, and explored practical ways to ensure victim-sensitive hate speech, police and judicial co-operation in addressing and respectful treatment. these crimes, procedural issues, relevant jurisprudence, vic- tim support and investigation techniques. ODIHR shared its expertise and tools to help national authorities provide effec- tive support to hate crime victims.

18 OSCE 2016, Human Rights Handbook on Policing Assemblies, accessible at https://www.osce.org/odihr/226981

136  Police-Related Activities of other OSCE Institutions

Inaugural meeting of the EU network of law Regional training course for detention monitoring; enforcement contact points on hate crime and hate Belgrade, Serbia (4–5 December 2024) speech; Vienna, Austria (13 November 2024) ODIHR organized a fourth regional training course titled “De- ODIHR was invited to participate in the inaugural meeting of a tention monitoring and the protection of human rights while new EU-wide network of law enforcement contact points on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicaliza- hate crime and hate speech. The network was established by tion to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons”, again held to promote the European Commission following a 2023 communication independent detention monitoring and strengthen oversight calling for the creation of a “network of national law enforce- to ensure the protection of the rights of persons deprived ment contact points specialized in criminal investigations of of liberty while effectively addressing VERLT in prisons. The hate speech and hate crime, to enhance co-ordination with course brought together independent detention monitors EU level activities such as under the High-Level Group on from South-Eastern Europe, namely, Bosnia and Herzego- combating hate speech and hate crime, cross-border sup- vina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Participants included port to investigations, and exchange of good practices and practitioners from national human rights institutions, national tools.” During the meeting, facilitators from the Facing Facts torture prevention mechanisms, and CSOs involved in deten- Network led sessions to identify the needs and challenges tion monitoring, penitentiary reform, migration detention and faced by participants. ODIHR presented its available tools criminal justice. The training aimed to improve participants’ and resources on hate crime training for law enforcement understanding of key human rights issues in the context of and on hate crime victim support. preventing and countering VERLT in prisons, and equipped them with the skills to assess prison-based security strate- Using virtual reality for police training on hate gies for compliance with human rights standards. crimes and victim support; online (18 November 2024) Addressing threats posed by ODIHR invited researchers from the Hamburg Police Univer- criminal activity sity of Applied Sciences to present their pilot project on using virtual reality technology to professionalize and sensitize po- lice officers to the experiences of hate crime victims. Dur- Legislative assistance in the field of criminal and ing the session, the speakers introduced their virtual reality public security reform; throughout the OSCE area training approach, which enables experience-based learning (throughout 2024) and has significant potential for police training, particularly in addressing hate crime. They discussed how immersive Throughout 2024, ODIHR continued to provide expert ad- technologies can help law enforcement better understand vice on proposed reforms of criminal and other legislation victims’ needs, uphold their rights, and improve reporting, that may affect police work, ensuring that responses to crim- support and protection mechanisms. The session was part inal activity remain compliant with human rights standards. of the “Under the Spotlight” series of online expert meetings, In particular, ODIHR published several legal reviews offering organized within the framework of the ODIHR–European concrete recommendations to improve draft or existing leg- Commission co-operation initiative “Strengthening targeted islation related to public security reform, the criminalization assistance and response structures for hate crime victims in of certain forms of expression or online communication, and the OSCE region”. the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including aspects related to the policing of assemblies19. Training-of-trainers workshop for law enforcement officials from Ukraine on human rights-complaint policing of public assemblies; Warsaw, Poland (2–6 December 2024)

ODIHR organized a ToT workshop on human rights-compli- 19 Further reading: OSCE 2024, ODIHR Urgent Opinion on Draft Amendments to ant policing of public assemblies for law enforcement officers the Criminal Code of the Republic of Cyprus, accessible at https://legislationline. org/sites/default/files/2024-10/2024-10-03 Final Urgent Opinion_Criminal from various regions of Ukraine. The course aimed to pre- Offences_FOE_Cyprus_0.pdf; OSCE 2024, ODIHR Urgent Interim Opinion on Article I of the Draft Act on “Some Measures to Improve the Security Situation pare participants to deliver training on facilitating assemblies in the Slovak Republic”, accessible at https://legislationline.org/sites/default/ in line with human rights standards, while taking into account files/2024-06/2024-06-25 FINAL ODIHR Urgent Interim Opinion on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly_Slovak Republic_ENGLISH.pdf; OSCE 2024, ODIHR Opinion the challenging context in which Ukrainian police officers on Certain Provisions of the Bill no. 1660 Relating to Countering Terrorism, Public operate. Security, Protection of Personnel in Service and Prison Regulations in Italy, accessible at https://legislationline.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/2024-05-27 - Opinion _Italy_Draft Law on Public Security - final.pdf

137 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Law enforcement training course on “Protecting branches dealing with counter-terrorism and organized crime, human rights while countering terrorism effectively”; as well as representatives of prosecution services. The train- Samarkand and Tashkent, Uzbekistan ing was delivered by ODIHR trainers and a former counter- (22–27 February 2024) -terrorism police officer from Northern Ireland. Participants explored human rights standards, the risks of violations in ODIHR and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan or- counter-terrorism contexts, the impact of such violations on ganized two workshops for law enforcement officers, prose- both suspects and law enforcement officials, and interview cutors and national guards on protecting human rights while techniques that foster trust and respect, among other topics. effectively countering terrorism. For the third consecutive Participants expressed strong interest in taking part in a po- year, ODIHR engaged national trainers from law enforce- tential advanced course in the future. ment education institutions of Uzbekistan in delivering these workshops. By co-delivering the training course with national Law enforcement training “Protecting human rights trainers, ODIHR continues to build their capacity and con- while countering terrorism effectively”; Brussels, fidence to conduct such training courses independently in Belgium (16–17 October 2024) the future. Notably, the national trainers have taken on an increasingly active role, both in the preparation and delivery For the first time, ODIHR delivered a training course on pro- of the workshops. tecting human rights while countering terrorism for Belgian law enforcement and intelligence officers. The training course Law enforcement training “Protecting human rights was organized at the request of the Belgian Federal Public while countering terrorism effectively”; Pristina, Service Foreign Affairs and brought together mid- to sen- Kosovo (29–30 May 2024) ior-level officers from federal police branches on counter- -terrorism in Brussels and Antwerp, the Coordination Unit for For the first time, ODIHR organized a training course for lo- Terrorism and Extremism, and the military intelligence ser- cal law enforcement officers in Pristina on protecting human vice. Several months prior to the course, ODIHR conducted rights while countering terrorism. The course, co-organ- a three-day pre-training assessment visit to Brussels. This ized with the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, brought together visit provided contextualized information on terrorism-related mid- to senior-level officers from local and specialized police challenges and the security sector, including competencies of relevant law enforcement authorities and their education systems, as well as key human rights issues in Belgium, which informed the development and delivery of the training.

138 3.2 OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM)

Introduction

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), established in 1997, is the world’s only intergovernmental media freedom watchdog. The current and sixth RFoM, Jan Braathu of Norway, was appointed in December 2024. Based in Vienna, Austria, the RFoM monitors relevant media developments across all participating States and advocates for full compliance with OSCE principles and commitments on freedom of expression and free media. The RFoM also addresses serious challenges, including obstruction of media activities and adverse working conditions for journalists.

Addressing threats posed by law enforcement for counter-terrorism purposes. The dis- criminal activity cussions emphasized that P/CVERLT and law enforcement efforts cannot be sustainable if they undermine freedom of expression, highlighting the need for a risk- and rights-based Regional conference “Addressing the prevailing approach to leverage AI for counter-terrorism objectives digital information disorder: Countering the use of without negatively impacting human rights, such as privacy the internet by terrorists and violent extremists”; and freedom of expression in the digital space. A brief out- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (23–24 April 2024) come report, published in September 2024, outlines the key human rights-based and gender-sensitive policy guidance At the regional conference, the Office of the RFoM co-organ- for OSCE participating States20. This seminar was the first of ized the session “Addressing Online Terrorist Content – Strik- a series of events on P/CVERLT and the role and impact of AI ing Balance between Regulation and Freedom of Expres- and emerging technologies organized in 2024. sion”, the side-event “Upholding Fundamental Freedoms while Addressing Violent Misogyny and Violent Extremism”, Webinar “‘Awful but Lawful’ – Addressing Hateful and participated in the session “AI in Preventing and Coun- Content in the Digital Space from the Perspective tering Violent Extremism and Terrorism”. These sessions fa- of Preventing Online Violent Extremism and cilitated discussions on the importance of balancing security Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism”; Vienna, interventions with the protection of freedom of expression in Austria (12 September 2024) the online space, and the need to develop a transparent, responsible and human rights-based approach to P/CVER- The Office of the RFoM participated in the first webinar of LT and law enforcement. The discussions also highlighted the series “Facing Division: Preventing and Countering Vio- the human rights implications of using AI in decision-making lent Extremist and Terrorist Content Online – Human rights- processes, and recognized that technology and insufficient based, age- and gender-sensitive approaches”. The webinar regulation of online platforms can negatively affect freedom aimed to foster discussions on the challenges of moderat- of expression, particularly for already marginalized groups. ing and exposure to borderline content linked to VERLT. It particularly focused on safeguarding freedom of expression Expert seminar “Artificial Intelligence in the context and maintaining a healthy online information environment in of preventing and countering violent extremism and the context of content moderation and platform regulation, terrorism: Challenges, risks and opportunities”; The as well as the importance of offline engagement to prevent Hague, the Netherlands (14 March 2024) VERLT.

This joint expert seminar, organized by TNTD/ATU, the Of- fice of the RFoM and the International Center for Counter- -Terrorism, provided participants with a deeper understand- ing of how new technologies are used both by violent ex- 20 OSCE 2024, Artificial Intelligence in the Context of Preventing and Countering Vio- lent Extremism and Terrorism: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities, accessible at tremist and terrorist groups for criminal activities and by https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/4/f/575877.pdf

139  4 Other Relevant Programmatic Activities  Other Relevant Programmatic Activities

4.1 Support Programme for Ukraine

Introduction

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

Spotlight on ▶ Strengthening cyber resilience: Cyber hygiene training and digital security; Kyiv, Ukraine (November 2024)

In today’s digital world, human error remains one of the greatest vulnerabilities in cybersecurity. Studies indicate that approximately 82 per cent of data breaches are linked to human factors, including falling for phishing scams and other cyber threats21. This alarming statistic underscores the importance of comprehensive training and awareness programmes on cyber hygiene to mitigate risks and safeguard digital systems.

The SPU has taken significant steps to enhance cybersecurity awareness and resilience within the educational institutions of Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. In response to the persistent threat of cyber-attacks, particularly in the context of the ongoing war, SPU has developed both in- person and online training modules, conducted specialized ToT sessions, and equipped dedicated classrooms at education institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. These initiatives have helped enhance cybersecurity awareness and resilience, and strengthen staff knowledge and practices in cyber hygiene.

Ž Training course for the Ukraine Ministry of Internal Affairs staff on cyber hygiene (Kostiantyn Chernichkin)

21 Verizon 2022, Data Breach Investigations Report, accessible at https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/2022-dbir-data-breach- investigations-report.pdf

141 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

National stakeholders have reported a significant shift in the approach to cybersecurity, with a more structured and comprehensive strategy now in place. This has led to heightened awareness, consistent application of cyber hygiene measures, and improved co-ordination in implementing cybersecurity protocols.

One participant reflected on their experience, stating that “during the training, we learned how crucial proactive security measures are—regularly updating software, using strong and unique passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and staying alert to phishing attempts. Beyond my own learning, I have adopted a more interactive teaching style, incorporating real-life examples and hands-on activities to help students grasp the practical implications of cyber hygiene. This shift not only enhances the learning experience but also ensures that students are better prepared to apply these skills in both their personal and professional lives.”

Through these initiatives, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness, ensuring that staff are not only knowledgeable but also equipped to apply good practices in their daily work. As cyber threats continue to evolve, these efforts are vital in strengthening the Ministry’s overall cyber resilience and creating a more secure and informed digital environment.

General police development and reform

Training sessions for hotline personnel of the National Training sessions for senior personnel of the Police of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine National Police on designing and carrying Ukraine; Kyiv, Vinnytsia, and Lviv, Ukraine out awareness-raising campaigns; Kyiv, Ukraine (January–February & September–November 2024) (26 July 2024)

To improve the handling and referral of calls received from The SPU organized a training session for the senior manage- children during times of war—especially those from children ment of the Cyberpolice Department’s regional units of the reporting gender-based violence and domestic violence—the National Police of Ukraine. The session focused on enhanc- SPU conducted six training sessions for 102 hotline operators ing communication skills and developing proposals for future and dispatchers of the National Police of Ukraine, as well as awareness-raising campaigns to improve the detection of eight similar training sessions for the newly-established 112 THB, particularly cases facilitated by ICT. The training aimed Emergency Hotline Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. to equip the Cyberpolice Department’s leadership with prac- These sessions focused on managing calls from children, tical tools for conducting effective public outreach. It also with particular emphasis on domestic violence—a significant strengthened their capacity to communicate THB-related concern, since approximately 25 per cent of all child-related risks to the public and to improve co-operation with other calls involve such cases according to data from the Nation- stakeholders in addressing this evolving crime. al Police of Ukraine. Participants were equipped with skills to recognize signs of distress and trauma in young callers, perform initial assessments, and quickly transfer cases Addressing threats posed by to the appropriate emergency services. Role-playing exer- criminal activity cises allowed participants to practice responding to calls in real-time scenarios, strengthening their ability to assess ur- gency and co-ordinate responses effectively. Winter and autumn schools on CTHB; Ivano- Frankivsk region, Ukraine (20–22 February & 10–12 September 2024)

The SPU further expanded its efforts to equip future law enforcement officers with essential skills to combat THB by

142  Other Relevant Programmatic Activities

organizing winter and autumn schools for cadets from Min- victims while safeguarding their rights and preventing re-trau- istry of Internal Affairs Universities. The schools followed a matization. They also clarified roles and responsibilities structured format, combining theoretical discussions with among agencies, strengthened co-operation, and improved practical simulation exercises that allowed cadets to apply information-sharing mechanisms, all while ensuring the pro- their knowledge in realistic scenarios. A key focus was on tection of victims’ privacy. multi-agency co-operation, victim-centred approaches and gender-sensitive investigations. One dedicated session ad- Training course on financial investigations; Kyiv, dressed the complexities of interviewing sexually abused Ukraine (13–16 May 2024) minor survivors of THB, emphasizing trauma-informed tech- niques and gender considerations. “Follow the money” is the main principle of any financial in- vestigation and was central to a joint training course on finan- Training for forensic investigators on operating cial investigations organized by the SPU in co-operation with electronic total stations; Legionowo, Poland UNODC. Experienced trainers from the State Financial Moni- (15–19 April 2024) toring Service of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine and other institutions shared their knowledge and expertise with SPU conducted a training session on operating electronic participants from various law enforcement agencies. The total stations (modern measuring equipment for crime scene course employed an interactive approach, covering topics examinations) for forensic investigators from Ukraine’s State such as Criminal Code Article 209, international co-opera- Bureau of Investigations at the Police Training Centre in Le- tion, financial document analysis, evidence evaluation, and gionowo, Poland. The practical skills gained during the train- types of confiscation. ing are applied in crime scene inspections, particularly for conducting precise ground measurements, recording trace Training on criminal analysis tools and approaches information, and creating diagrams, plans and other docu- to investigating serious crime; Kyiv, Ukraine mentation. (20–24 May 2024)

Training course on ultimate beneficial ownership; SPU conducted an in-depth training course for officials of Kyiv, Ukraine (22–25 April 2024) the State Bureau of Investigations on criminal analysis tools and approaches to investigating serious crimes. The course Representatives of national law enforcement authorities en- covered the ILP model, OSINT methodologies and software hanced their practical skills during a training course organized tools, as well as the processes and methodology used to by SPU in co-operation with the State Financial Monitoring structure, analyse and visualize information for effective crim- Academy and UNODC. The course provided a comprehen- inal analysis. sive approach to the issue of beneficial ownership, combin- ing theoretical and practical aspects. Special emphasis was Study visit to support the development and placed on legislative and law enforcement components, de- implementation of national policy on API/PNR in tection methodology, and international standards on benefi- Ukraine; The Hague, the Netherlands cial ownership. Targeting participants from the National Po- (25–29 June 2024) lice, Security Service, Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, and the State Bureau of Investigation, the training aimed to To support the development and implementation of nation- equip them to effectively address challenges in verifying ben- al policy on advance passenger information (API) and pas- eficial ownership data and to contribute to the development senger name records (PNR) in Ukraine, the SPU facilitated of an effective verification system in Ukraine. a study visit for officials from the Security Service of Ukraine to The Hague, the Netherlands. During the visit, participants Simulation exercises to combat trafficking in human took part in Informal Working Group on PNR and held bilat- beings; Lviv, Ukraine (23–25 April, 30 April–2 May, eral meetings with Europol, the Passenger Information Unit 21–23 May, 28–30 May 2024) of the Netherlands, as well as Latvian and independent API/ PNR experts. The SPU conducted a series of simulation exercises on CTHB. These country-tailored simulations involved repre- Workshop on the legal aspects of investigating sentatives from social services, NGOs, the police, pros- serious crime; Kyiv, Ukraine (4–5 July 2024) ecutor’s offices and labour inspectorates, with observers assessing interagency co-ordination and adherence to victim- To strengthen efforts to combat serious crime in Ukraine, the -centred approaches. The exercises offered participants a SPU organized a workshop on the legal aspects of inves- hands-on experience in identifying and assisting trafficking tigating serious crime for officials from the Security Service

143 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigations, the Border study visit for Ukrainian officials to the Financial Intelligence Guard Service and the National Police. Key topics included Unit of Canada. The visit brought together anti-money laun- the application of international humanitarian law principles in dering practitioners from the State Financial Monitoring Ser- the context of effective investigation of serious crimes, mod- vice of Ukraine, the Ministry of Finance and Security Service ern paradigms of counter-intelligence, operational search ac- of Ukraine, as well as the representatives from the Financial tivities, and addressing serious breaches of state information Intelligence Units of Canada and the United States. Partic- security. ipants discussed good practices and challenges related to risk assessment, beneficial ownership identification, financial 10th Lviv Criminal Justice Forum; Lviv, Ukraine investigations and the regulation of virtual assets. (19–20 September 2024) Providing specialized software to the National Police The SPU organized the 10th Lviv Criminal Justice Forum, of Ukraine; Kyiv, Ukraine (December 2024) which provided a platform for criminal justice stakeholders to discuss the challenges of investigating serious crime. The The SPU procured and donated a license for a specialized in- Forum also featured the presentation of the volume Draft of vestigative software to strengthen the capabilities of the Na- the New Criminal Code of Ukraine: Background and Prepa- tional Police of Ukraine, most notably its capacity to combat ration Stages, Conceptual principles, Main Provisions, fol- human trafficking and related crimes. The software uses AI lowed by a discussion of the working group’s report on the to assist law enforcement in locating victims of sex trafficking Development of Criminal Law for the Period 2019–2024. and dismantling organized criminal networks. By extracting data from open sources, it compiles databases of images, Advanced training course for cyber investigators on phone numbers and location data, enabling the identification responding to cyber-enabled crimes; Lviv, Ukraine of patterns and key evidence. (24–26 September, 22–24 October & 17–19 December 2024) International Forum on Financial Monitoring 2024; Zakarpattia, Ukraine (18–20 December 2024) The SPU conducted advanced training sessions for inves- tigators of the Cyberpolice Department on responding to The SPU, together with the State Financial Monitoring Ser- cyber-enabled crimes. The sessions focused on strengthen- vice of Ukraine, the Council of Europe, Pro-Integrity, and ing investigators’ skills in obtaining, securing and processing the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative, organized the internation- digital evidence, as well as leveraging mechanisms to collect al forum “Financial Monitoring 2024”. The forum provided a digital forensic data for ongoing investigations. International platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and collaboration good practices in cybercrime prevention and detection were among representatives of international institutions, policy- also shared during the training. makers, and practitioners engaged in AML/CFT. Panel dis- cussions addressed key challenges in financial monitoring, Study visit of Ukrainian officials and experts to while international experts shared insights on issues such the Financial Intelligence Unit of Canada; Ottawa, as the 6th round of MONEYVAL assessments, changes in Canada (25–30 November 2024) international policy, risks of money laundering and terrorism financing, public–private partnerships, and the use of new To support the Ukrainian Government in building robust part- technologies as vital tools in detecting money laundering, nerships and achieving strategic goals, the SPU organized a terrorism financing and other sophisticated crimes.

144  5 Appendices APPENDIX I Decisions, Declarations and Action Plans with a Focus on Police-Related Activities

Mandates on police-related issues are contained in OSCE policing (needs assessments) and how to meet them, and Summit Decisions, as well as in the growing list of Decisions encouraging where appropriate the exchange of information of the Ministerial Council and the Permanent Council, includ- among and between participating States regarding lessons ing several OSCE Action Plans. learned and best policing practices in countering new secu- rity challenges. The latest comprehensive set of OSCE mandates on po- lice-related activities was adopted in 2012 with the Dublin The Bucharest Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism MC Decision No. 4/12 on the OSCE’s Efforts to Address (2001), adopted on the same occasion as the above De- Transnational Threats, which endorsed four PC Decisions cision on police-related activities, recognized the need to from 2012, including the OSCE Strategic Framework for assist participating States, on their request, through meas- Police-Related Activities (PC.DEC/1049) and the OSCE ures to combat trafficking in human beings, drugs, and small Concept for Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the arms and light weapons, in accordance with relevant Perma- Diversion of Chemical Precursors (PC.DEC/1048). With the nent Council decisions. This assistance could also include adoption of these Decisions, the participating States re- provision of advice and assistance on restructuring and/or affirmed the key role that police-related activities play in the reconstruction of police services; monitoring and training Organization’s efforts to address threats to security and sta- of existing police services, including human rights training; bility posed by criminal activity, as well as its efforts in the and capacity-building, including support for integrated or areas of conflict prevention, crisis management and post multi-ethnic police services. To this end, the plan of action conflict rehabilitation in the OSCE area. acknowledged the need for reinforcing existing police-relat- ed activities in conflict prevention, crisis management and The Charter for European Security adopted by the Istan- post-conflict rehabilitation. bul Summit Meeting (1999) represents the platform for the OSCE involvement in policing. It contains the commitment of In its Decision No. 448 (2001), the Permanent Council decid- the OSCE participating States to enhance the OSCE’s role in ed to establish the seconded post of Senior Police Adviser at civilian police-related activities as an integral part of the Or- the OSCE Secretariat. ganization’s efforts in conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. Such activities may comprise In the Declaration on Trafficking in Human Beings adopted the following: (1) police monitoring, including preventing po- by the Tenth Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Porto 2002), lice from discriminating based on religious or ethnic identity; its members called on participating States to enhance inter- (2) police training, aimed at, inter alia, improving the opera- national co-operation in combating criminal acts such as tional and tactical capabilities of local police services, reform- trafficking in drugs and arms, and the smuggling of migrants. ing paramilitary forces, providing new and modern policing They emphasized the need to include in this co-operation skills such as community policing and anti-drug, anti-corrup- international law enforcement bodies such as Europol and tion and anti-terrorist capacities, creating police services with INTERPOL, as well as the Southeast European Cooperative a multi-ethnic and/or multireligious composition to enable Initiative (SECI), with a view to investigating and prosecuting them to enjoy the confidence of the entire population; and (3) those responsible for trafficking in human beings in accord- promoting general respect for human rights and fundamental ance with domestic law and, where applicable, international freedoms. obligations. In this regard, they also asked the Senior Police Adviser to devote increased attention to the fight against traf- The Ninth Ministerial Council in Bucharest (2001) declared ficking in human beings. the OSCE’s decision to increase and promote co-opera- tion among participating States in countering new security This tasking was further detailed in the OSCE Action Plan challenges, including by providing advice or arranging for to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, which requested the provision of expert advice on requirements for effective TNTD/SPMU to further promote the concept of community

146  Appendices

policing and facilitate the exchange of information between assistance, including the necessary expertise and resourc- participating States on good practices to be used by rele- es from relevant competent international organizations, for vant investigating units to evaluate the possible criminal and implementing the United Nations Convention Against Trans- trafficking-related origin of suspicious assets. TNTD/SPMU national Organized Crime and its Protocols. The Decision was also tasked to continue developing training materials for also tasked the OSCE Permanent Council to work on de- law enforcement on the investigation of trafficking and sex signing, with the support of the Secretary General and the crimes, to provide law enforcement trainers to conduct train- relevant OSCE institutions, possible measures and forms of ing, and to facilitate the funding of training sessions for law assistance that could be made available to requesting par- enforcement authorities in OSCE participating States. ticipating States with a view to improving and promoting the functioning of criminal justice systems. The policing of ethnic minorities was addressed by the OSCE Action Plan for Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti The Ljubljana Ministerial Decision No. 15/05 on Preventing within the OSCE Area (2003). TNTD/SPMU was tasked to and Combating Violence against Women urged participating assist participating States in developing programmes and States, with the support and assistance of the OSCE, to take confidence-building measures, such as community policing, all necessary legislative, policy and programmatic monitoring to improve the relations between police and Roma and Sinti and evaluation measures to promote and protect women’s populations, particularly at the local level, and to produce a full enjoyment of human rights, and to prevent and combat all compilation of police good practices in the OSCE area with forms of gender-based violence against them. The Decision respect to policing and Roma and Sinti communities. Another also tasked the Permanent Council to encourage relevant established task was to assist the participating States in de- OSCE institutions and structures to develop programmes, veloping codes of conduct to prevent racial profiling and im- projects and policies to assist participating States, at their prove inter-ethnic relations. request, in combating violence against women and girls, and in providing assistance to victims. The OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Sta- bility in the Twenty-First Century, adopted by the 11th Minis- The Ljubljana Ministerial Council also adopted the OSCE terial Council in Maastricht in 2003, states that TNTD/SPMU Border Security and Management Concept. Above all, this was set up to improve the capacity of participating States to provides participating States with a political framework for address threats posed by criminal activity and to assist them co-operation on border-related issues. It provides objectives in upholding the rule of law. The aim was to enhance key and principles for this co-operation, and defines modalities policing skills, including respect for human rights and funda- for OSCE activities in this area. The OSCE “acts upon the mental freedoms. request of participating States” to ensure dialogue on border- -related issues through, inter alia, “exchange of information, The 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender experience and best practices”, the establishment of Nation- Equality, adopted by the 12th Ministerial Council of the OSCE al Focal Point Networks, and the holding of workshops and (Sofia 2004), urged the OSCE’s participating States, Secre- conferences. tariat, institutions and field operations to ensure that a gender perspective is integrated into OSCE activities, programmes Permanent Council Decision No. 758 Enhancing Internation- and projects. The aim shall be to promote the practice of al Anti-Drug Co-operation (2006) tasked the Secretary Gen- gender equality in the OSCE area, which is essential for com- eral and relevant OSCE institutions with providing participat- prehensive security. In this context, TNTD/SPMU was spe- ing States, upon their request and in close consultation and cifically tasked to enhance its project development to assist co-ordination with UNODC, assistance/advice on antidrug participating States to react to offences of sexual violence. issues through, inter alia, awareness-raising activities, organ- This involves including elements in police training curricu- ization of regional workshops and facilitation of training. lum such as special investigation techniques, interview skills designed for use with victims of sexual assault, including The Decision on Combating Sexual Exploitation of Children children, and information on referral mechanisms for victim adopted by the 14th Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Brus- assistance. sels 2006) encouraged relevant OSCE executive structures, within their existing mandates, to devote attention to the The fight against organized crime came to the forefront of area of sexual exploitation of children, including its links to OSCE priorities during 2005 and was recognized in the Deci- trafficking in persons. It emphasized the need for the OSCE sion on Combating Transnational Organized Crime adopted structures and participating States to co-operate with other by the 13th Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Ljubljana 2005). international organizations, NGOs, and civil society in com- It tasked the OSCE Secretary General with providing support, bating the sexual exploitation of children. upon request from participating States, to mobilize technical

147 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

The 14th Ministerial Council of the OSCE (Brussels 2006) At the Helsinki Ministerial Council in December 2008, the adopted the follow-up Decision on Organized Crime, reaf- participating States turned their attention once again to the firming the importance that the OSCE was giving to this sub- issue of trafficking in human beings. Decision No. 5/08 on ject. The Decision tasks the OSCE Secretary General and the Enhancing Criminal Justice Responses to Trafficking in Hu- relevant OSCE executive structures, within their respective man Beings Through a Comprehensive Approach empha- mandates, with giving enhanced attention to the key role of sized the need for training on combating trafficking in human criminal justice systems in institution-building and in the pro- beings for law enforcement personnel and urged the par- motion of the rule of law, as well as co-operating and co-ordin- ticipating States, inter alia, to ensure co-operation between ating more closely in order to take the interaction between law enforcement agencies and other relevant actors at the the components of those systems better into account. A fur- national and international level, and “to intensify measures to ther major task was to build on and consolidate knowledge disrupt trafficking networks, including by means of financial and experience on criminal justice and organized crime, and investigations, investigations of money laundering connected to continue co-operating with UNODC in various matters, in- to human trafficking and the freezing and confiscation of the cluding combating organized crime and illicit drugs. assets of human traffickers”.

Recalling the Ministerial Council Decisions Nos. 3/05 (Lju- Reaffirming the participating States’ commitment to proac- bljana) on combating transnational organized crime, and tively implement the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion 5/06 (Brussels) on organized crime, Permanent Council of Gender Equality, and recalling Ljubljana MC Decisions Decision No. 810 (2007) on Implementation of the United on Women in Conflict Prevention, Crisis Management and Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime Post-Conflict Rehabilitation, and on Preventing and Combat- tasked the Secretary General to support the implementation ing Violence against Women, the 17th Ministerial Council of of the UNTOC convention in co-operation with UNODC, and the OSCE (Athens 2009), in its Decision on Women’s Partic- to organize workshops in co-operation and co-ordination ipation in Political and Public Life, called on the participating with the Secretariat of the Conference of the Parties to the States to consider providing for specific measure to achieve UNTOC. the goal of gender balance in all legislative, judicial and exec- utive bodies, including police services. Permanent Council Decision No. 813 (2007) on Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and Precursors emphasized the Acknowledging the “[…] diverse and multifaceted OSCE continuing spread of illicit trafficking of opiates from Afghan- work, experience and lessons learned in the policing field, in istan and chemical precursors throughout the OSCE area. particular the work of TNTD/SPMU and the field operations The Permanent Council called on the Secretary General to within their respective mandates”, the Permanent Council, in further develop co-operation in the field of anti-drug matters its Decision 914/09 adopted in Athens, expressed its convic- with UNODC, the Paris Pact and other relevant international tion that the time had come to take stock of what had been structures and organizations by, inter alia, organizing joint re- undertaken so far in policing and to “[…] initiate a thorough gional and sub-regional workshops and other activities. Fur- dialogue on how to further enhance police-related activities thermore, the Secretary General was tasked with continuing within the OSCE.” The Permanent Council tasked the Sec- training activities on drug-related matters. retary General, “[…] within existing resources and in consul- tation with relevant OSCE executive structures, to prepare The need for continued training of Afghan police officers in a report on police-related activities of the OSCE executive addition to providing assistance to Afghanistan in the fields structures up to the end of 2009”. The report was to be of border security and combating drug trafficking was also based partly on annual reports on police-related activities, a core topic of the Ministerial Decision No. 4/07 on OSCE reflecting existing mandates and OSCE commitments, and Engagement with Afghanistan (Madrid). Participating States was “[…] to include an assessment of those activities and a tasked the Secretary General to provide support for intensi- forward-looking perspective, offering long-term strategic rec- fying the involvement of Afghan counterparts in OSCE activi- ommendations”. Moreover, the Permanent Council decided ties related to the fields of border security and management, that this report would be further discussed during the next policing, and the fight against drug trafficking. For this, train- Annual Police Experts Meeting in May 2010, as well as at the ing facilities in Central Asia as well as in the rest of the OSCE 2010 Annual Security Review Conference. area were to be used. While tasked to avoid unnecessary duplication of existing efforts of other international actors, the The Athens MC Decision No. 2/09 on Further OSCE Efforts Secretary General was also mandated to explore all possible to Address Transnational Threats and Challenges to Security co-operation options, in co-ordination with the UN and other and Stability took note of, inter alia, the OSCE’s contribution relevant regional and international organizations and other to international efforts to fight organized crime through the actors. provision of relevant law enforcement expertise and assis-

148  Appendices

tance to participating States, and called for exploring further technologies (PC Decision No. 1039), the OSCE Concept ways to strengthen synergies in OSCE activities against trans- for Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion national threats, for addressing them in a comprehensive of Chemical Precursors (PC Decision No. 1048), the OSCE and cross-dimensional manner, and for focusing on areas Strategic Framework for Police-Related Activities (PC Deci- where the OSCE has a comparative advantage and can sion No. 1049) and finally, the OSCE Consolidated Frame- complement the work of other international organizations. work for the Fight against Terrorism (PC Decision No. 1063).

“Recalling that the OSCE, as a regional arrangement under In PC Decision No. 1039 on the Development of Confi- Chapter VIII of the Charter of the UN and as a primary or- dence-Building Measures to Reduce the Risks of Conflict ganization for the peaceful settlement of disputes within its Stemming from the Use of Information and Communication region, is a key instrument for early warning, conflict preven- Technologies, the Permanent Council decided “to step up tion and resolution, crisis management and post-conflict re- individual and collective efforts to address security in the use habilitation”, the participating States, in the 2011 Vilnius MC of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a Decision No. 3/11 on Elements of the Conflict Cycle, Related comprehensive and cross-dimensional manner in accord- to Enhancing the OSCE’s Capabilities in Early Warning, Early ance with OSCE commitments and in co-operation with rel- Action, Dialogue Facilitation and Mediation Support, and evant international organizations. The PC further tasks the Post-Conflict Rehabilitation, reiterated “[…] that the OSCE’s OSCE Chairmanship to establish an open-ended, informal ability to deploy civilian, police or unarmed military expertise OSCE working group under the auspices of the Security rapidly is essential to effective conflict prevention, crisis man- Committee to elaborate a set of draft CBMs to enhance in- agement and post-conflict rehabilitation”. It also expressed terstate co-operation, transparency, predictability, and sta- the expectation for “[…] the OSCE Chairmanship and the bility, and to reduce the risks of misperception, escalation, executive structures to take full advantage of their respective and conflict that may stem from the use of ICT; and to help mandates to address all phases of the conflict cycle”, and build consensus for the adoption of such a set of CBMs in urged “the Chairmanship and participating States to use, 2012.” swiftly and to the greatest extent possible, all available tools and procedures as applicable to a particular crisis or conflict The OSCE Concept for Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs situation […].” and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors (PC Decision No. 1048) identifies areas and activities requiring sustained efforts “Reiterating the determination expressed by Heads of State for short-, medium- and long-term engagement in combating or Government of the OSCE participating States in the 2010 the threat of illicit drugs and the diversion of chemical precur- Astana Commemorative Declaration: Towards a Security sors. It establishes a political framework for comprehensive Community to achieve greater unity of purpose and action action by the OSCE participating States and the OSCE exec- in facing emerging transnational threats, such as terrorism, utive structures to combat this threat. The Concept stresses organized crime, illegal migration, proliferation of weapons the participating States’ commitments to support the imple- of mass destruction, cyber threats and the illicit trafficking in mentation of the respective international obligations in this small arms and light weapons, drugs and human beings”, the area, with a particular focus on the related UN Conventions Vilnius Ministerial Council, in Decision No. 9/11 on Strength- and Decisions. It also sets principles and major objectives of ening Co-ordination and Coherence in the OSCE’s Efforts to co-operation, and provides a platform for OSCE’s co-oper- Address Transnational Threats, welcomed “the proposals by ation with international organizations and partners in recog- the Secretary General included in the 2012 Unified Budget nition of the important role played by civil society, including Proposal for the creation of a department to address trans- the media and NGOs, in addressing drug-related crimes, as national threats, consistent with the OSCE’s mandates and well as preventive measures aimed at reducing drug abuse within available resources, with a view to ensuring better and dependence, and drug-related harm to health and so- co-ordination, strengthened coherence and more efficient ciety, especially to children and young people. According to use of the OSCE’s resources in addressing transnational the Concept, the participating States’ co-operation will in- threats […].” clude, inter alia, the exchange of good practices and scien- tific evidence-based information on combating the threat of To further strengthen the OSCE’s efforts to address transna- illicit drugs. It will also include the facilitation and promotion tional threats, the Dublin Ministerial Council adopted Deci- of cross-border interaction between relevant criminal justice sion No. 4/12 in December 2012. This so-called “chapeau” agencies and other competent national structures of the Decision endorses four Decisions that had been adopted participating States in the prevention, identification, suppres- in 2012 by the Permanent Council on the development of sion, detection and investigation of drug-related crimes, and confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict the apprehension and extradition of criminals in accordance stemming from the use of information and communication with existing legal frameworks.

149 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

The OSCE Strategic Framework for Police-Related Activities In 2013, the participating States adopted the Initial Set of defines the Organization’s priorities in this area, within a wider OSCE Confidence-Building Measures to Reduce the Risks OSCE approach to security, such as police development and of Conflict Stemming from the Use of Information and Com- reform, and the fight against organized transnational crime, munication Technologies (PC Decision No. 1106) in order to including trafficking in illicit drugs and precursors, trafficking enhance interstate co-operation, transparency, predictability in human beings, sexual exploitation of children on the inter- and stability, and to reduce the risks of misperception, esca- net, and cybercrime. Through needs assessment, capacity- lation and conflict that may stem from the use of information -building, institution building, training and evaluation, the and communication technologies. According to the Decision, OSCE will assist the law enforcement agencies of participat- the participating States will voluntarily facilitate co-operation ing States to address the threats posed by criminal activity. among competent national bodies; share information on All of these activities will be done in line with the promotion measures that they have taken to ensure an open, interopera- of the principles of democratic policing, such as the impor- ble, secure and reliable internet; and use the OSCE as a plat- tance of the rule of law; due respect for human rights and form for dialogue, exchange of good practices, awareness- fundamental freedoms, including gender and minority issues; -raising and information on capacity-building regarding se- police–public partnerships; effective and accountable crimi- curity of and in the use of ICTs, including effective responses nal justice systems; and enhanced criminal justice co-oper- to related threats. ation among participating States and international and re- gional organizations. The Decision highlights the importance The 2014 Basel Ministerial Council adopted several Deci- of co-operation with governmental authorities as well as civil sions and declarations related to policing activities. society in a long-term approach that fosters local commit- ment to and ownership and sustainability of police-related The Basel Ministerial Decision No. 5/14 on the Prevention of programme achievements. Corruption underlines, inter alia, “the central role played by law enforcement bodies and judicial institutions in prevent- The OSCE Consolidated Framework for the Fight against ing and combating corruption” and encourages the relevant Terrorism (PC Decision No. 1063) further strengthens the OSCE executive structures to facilitate the exchange of good profile of the Organization in the struggle against terrorism. practices in the prevention of corruption among participating The Decision builds on relevant Decisions of the Ministeri- States upon their request. al Council and highlights the OSCE’s anti-terrorism profile, listing the comparative advantages of the Organization. The The Basel Ministerial Decision No. 7/14 on Preventing and Decision provides guidance for the Organization, outlining Combating Violence against Women reaffirms earlier com- strategic focus areas for counter-terrorism activities. There- mitments to prevent and combat violence against women, with the Decision is a roadmap for any further OSCE action including domestic violence. It calls on participating States to be taken in the area of countering terrorism. to improve their legal frameworks for preventing and com- bating such violence, and to collect and make public data In the 2012 Dublin Ministerial Declaration on Strengthen- and statistics regarding all forms of violence against women. ing Good Governance and Combating Corruption, Money It encourages participating States to enhance awareness- Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism, the participating -raising and other prevention programmes, to ensure the States encourage the OCEEA and TNTD “within their re- protection of victims of all forms of violence against women, spective mandates to assist the participating States, at their and to “strengthen the efforts to investigate, prosecute and request, in their efforts to counter money laundering and the punish the perpetrators of all forms of violence against wom- financing of terrorism, including through the development, en and provide victims with protection and appropriate rem- adoption and implementation of legislation and practices to edies.” The Decision tasks the OSCE executive structures to improve interagency and external co-ordination mechanisms assist participating States, at their request, to facilitate the in this area.” exchange of information, improve co-ordination and provide technical assistance and training to help participating States In 2013, the participating States, with PC Decision No. 1106 fulfil these goals. adopted the Addendum to the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings: One Decade Later. This Deci- The Basel MC Declaration No. 5/14 on the OSCE Role in sion amends the 2003 Action Plan. It provides participating Countering the Phenomenon of Foreign Terrorist Fighters in States with an updated toolkit to combat all forms of THB, the Context of the Implementation of UN Security Council and helps to address current and emerging THB trends and Resolutions 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014) calls upon the patterns, as well as the most pressing challenges related to OSCE executive structures, inter alia, “to offer assistance the prosecution of the crime, its prevention and protection of in capacity-building activities to the requesting participat- trafficked persons. ing States, in accordance with PC Decision No. 1063, and

150  Appendices

to organize, where appropriate, regional and sub-region- The Hamburg MC Decision No. 1/16 on Strengthening al events to identify potential weaknesses in international OSCE Efforts to Prevent and Counter Terrorism underscores legal and operational co-operation mechanisms in order the central role of the UN in preventing and countering ter- to foster better co-operation and co-ordination nationally rorism, including the importance of OSCE commitments and internationally”; “to continue to promote OSCE efforts to the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It states that to counter violent extremism and radicalization that lead to participating States have the primary role in preventing and terrorism, including through community policing approach- countering terrorism and VERLT, while stressing the need es to preventing terrorism, in particular at the local level”; for participating States to take appropriate steps to prevent and “to support requesting participating States in the im- and suppress the financing of terrorism. The decision also plementation of their commitments regarding travel doc- positively appreciates the implementation of the #UnitedCVE ument security and border management and to facilitate campaign, and welcomed the activities by OSCE executive technical assistance in this field by INTERPOL and other structures in the area of preventing and countering terrorism. relevant international organizations to requesting participat- ing States.” Hamburg MC Decision No. 3/16 on the OSCE’s Role in the Governance of Large Movements of Migrants and Refugees The Basel Ministerial Council Declaration No. 6/14 on the encourages participating States to use the OSCE platform OSCE Role in Countering Kidnapping and Hostage-Taking for improving dialogue on migration-related matters by de- Committed by Terrorist Groups in the Context of the Imple- veloping effective measures and common approaches to mentation of UN Security Council Resolution 2133 (2014) address such matters. It also encourages OSCE executive calls upon the OSCE executive structures to continue pro- structures to reinforce the exchange of good practices and moting the international legal framework against terrorism, to to enhance dialogue and co-operation with the OSCE Part- explore ways to exchange information between intelligence ners for Co-operation. agencies and the criminal justice systems, and to promote capacity-building for managing, investigating and prosecut- With MC Decision No. 6/16 on Enhancing the Use of Ad- ing cases 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 information (API) systems in accordance with the provisions the OSCE Activities in Support of the Global Efforts Tackling contained in ICAO’s Annex 9 to the Convention on Interna- the World Drug Problem states the need for a balanced and tional Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention) and aligned integrated approach to tackling the world drug problem, for with the WCO/IATA/ICAO Guidelines on Advance Passen- further co-operation between the OSCE with UNODC, the ger Information (API), including those on privacy and data International Narcotics Control Board, and other relevant protection, in order to effectively collect passenger and/or multilateral organizations, especially with the emergence crew data from airlines operating in their territories; 2. Con- and spread of dangerous new psychoactive substances sider establishing at the national level an interactive system and the diversion of chemical precursors, and for further to exchange API data (iAPI) in order to prevent the movement co-operation in preparation for the UN General Assem- of foreign terrorist fighters in line with UN Security Council bly Special Session on the world drug problem (UNGASS resolutions 2178 (2014) and 2309 (2016); 3. Adhere to ICAO 2016). Document 9082 “ICAO’s Policies on Charges for Airports and Air Navigation Services” in the context of establishing The Belgrade Ministerial Council Declaration No. 3/15 on an API system, recognizing that States are responsible for Reinforcing OSCE Efforts to Counter Terrorism in the Wake ensuring the implementation of adequate security measures of the Recent Terrorist Attacks condemns all terrorist at- at airports; 4. Collaborate with all relevant national stakehold- tacks and reaffirms the OSCE’s commitments to remain ers in the implementation of national level API systems, and united in combating terrorism, while underscoring respect consider establishing one authority to receive, on behalf of all for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law other authorities, all forms of passenger data through a sin- as complementary to effective counter-terrorism measures. gle window data entry point; 5. Increase the added value of API data by seeking to establish automated cross-checking The Belgrade Ministerial Council Declaration No. 4/15 on of this data against relevant national, regional and interna- Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicali- tional watch lists, in particular INTERPOL databases and UN zation that Lead to Terrorism calls upon participating States Sanctions Lists; and 6. Provide assistance to support other to strengthen and adapt their efforts to counter violent ex- requesting participating States in establishing API systems. tremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism, and to support a multi-dimensional approach, including communi- The Tirana Ministerial Council Declaration No. 1/20 on ty policing, to counter VERLT within the OSCE area. Strengthening Co-operation in Countering Transnational Or-

151 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

ganized Crime underlined the importance of strengthening the priorities of the OSCE by enhancing implementation of national co-ordination and international co-operation in coun- the respective international obligations and the OSCE’s exist- tering transnational organized crime through direct contact ing commitments. It also reaffirmed the tasking of the relevant and engagement between relevant authorities, and by ex- OSCE executive structures to regularly brief the participating change of information and good practices, as well as by us- States on OSCE activities related to the implementation of ing the tools provided by the OSCE, UNODC and other rele- existing OSCE commitments to address transnational organ- vant international organizations. It recommitted to maintain- ized crime, and encouraged continued discussions on this ing the countering of transnational organized crime among topic among the participating States.

152 APPENDIX II Abbreviations and Acronyms

AI artificial intelligence

AIRPOL Airport Police Network

AML/CFT anti-money laundering/countering financing of terrorism

AMO Asset Management Office (of North Macedonia)

API advance passenger information (systems)

ARC Asset Recovery Committee (of Kazakhstan)

ATU (OSCE) Action against Terrorism Unit

BAMIN Balkan Asset Management Interagency Network

BMSC (OSCE) Border Management Staff College

BSM border security and management

BSMU (OSCE )Border Security and Management Unit

CBM confidence building measure

CDCT (CoE’s) Committee on Counter-Terrorism (Comité Directeur sur le Contre-Terrorisme)

CFT countering the financing of terrorism

CEPOL European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training

CiO chairperson-in-office

CoE Council of Europe

CPC (OSCE) Conflict Prevention Centre

CPC/FSC SU (OSCE) Conflict Prevention Centre Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit

CSO civil society organization

CTHB combating trafficking in human beings

CTPN Counter-Terrorism Preparedness Network

CVE countering violent extremism

DCA Drug Control Agency (of Tajikistan)

DIA Anti-Mafia Investigations Directorate (of Italy)

ECAC European Civil Aviation Conference

EECA IWG Eastern Europe and Central Asia informal working group (on passenger data)

153 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

EU Support to Strengthen the Fight against Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human EU4FAST WB Beings in the Western Balkans

EULEX European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo

Europol European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation

ExB extrabudgetary

FATF Financial Action Task Force

FIAHT (Switzerland’s) Financial Intelligence against Human Trafficking (initiative)

FIU Financial Intelligence Unit (of Kosovo)

FTF foreign terrorist fighter

GBV gender-based violence

GIBP General Inspectorate of Border Police (of Moldova)

GIFCT Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism

GlobE Network Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities

GPI General Police Inspectorate (of Moldova)

HCTF (OSCE-led) Heritage Crime Task Force

HCNM (OSCE) High Commissioner on National Minorities

iAPI interactive advance passenger information (system)

IATA International Air Transport Association

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization

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

ICT information and communication technology

ILP intelligence-led policing

IOM International Organization for Migration

INTERPOL International Criminal Police Organization

K9 canine (dog handling unit)

KSO Kosovo Correctional Service

LGBT lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender

LPSC local public safety committee

LSC local safety council

MC (OSCE) Ministerial Council

MCSC municipal community safety council

MPR Mobile Police Reception (in Kyrgyzstan)

MTT mobile training team

NGO non-governmental organization

NMTT national mobile training team

154  Appendices

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

ODIHR OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

OFA Ohrid Framework Agreement

OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

OSINT open-source intelligence

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

PC (OSCE) Permanent Council

PCC Surrey DTC Police and Crime Commissioner of the Surrey Police Dog Training Centre

PCM project cycle management

PCOCP Permanent Conference of Organized Crime Prosecutors

P/CVE preventing and countering violent extremism

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

PIU passenger information units

PNR passenger name record

PVE preventing violent extremism

RFoM (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media

SALW small arms and light weapons

SBGS State Border Guard Service (of Ukraine)

SECI Southeast European Cooperative Initiative

SEPCA Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Association

SIA Sector for Internal Affairs (of North Macedonia)

SOP standard operating procedure

SPAK Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (of Albania)

SPMU (OSCE) Strategic Police Matters Unit

TAHCLE Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (OSCE programme)

TCP trafficking in cultural property

THB trafficking in human beings

TNTD (OSCE) Transnational Threats Department

ToT training-of-trainers

UN United Nations

UNCTED United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate

UNDSS United Nations Department of Safety and Security

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNGA United Nations General Assembly

155 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund

UNOCT United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism

UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

UNSC United Nations Security Council

UNSCR United Nations Security Council Resolution

VASP virtual asset service provider

VERLT violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism

WCO World Customs Organization

WIN (OSCE project) Women and Men Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality

156 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 Umberto SEVERINI Umberto.Severini@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6872 Head of Strategic Police Matters Unit

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

TNTD/ATU Daniel GOLSTON Daniel.Golston@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6772 Associate Programme Officer

TNTD/BSMU Siv-Katrine LEIRTROE Siv-Katrine.Leirtroe@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6662 Head of Border Security and Management Unit

Dragica VUCINIC Dragica.Vucinic@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6662 Border Management Officer

TNTD/CC Alicia HARTMANN Alicia.Hartmann@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6844 Analysis and Co-ordination Officer

OCEEA Ralf Uwe ERNST Ralf.Ernst@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6206 Deputy Co-ordinator, Head of Economic Governance Unit

Programme for Clara FRIEDRICH Clara.Friedrich@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6682 Gender Issues Adviser on Gender Equality

OSR/CTHB Marianne ANGVIK Marianne.Angvik@osce.org +43 1 514 36 6611 Executive Programme Officer

157 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

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 Fernando BURGES Fernando.SouzaBurges@ +31 6 2152 3186 Project Officer osce.org

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

Other Relevant Programmatic Activities Contact person Email Phone

Support Liliya GRUDKO Liliya.Grudko@osce.org +380 6 7239 3630 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 69 30 3600 Prevention/ HARTMANN osce.org Resolution Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova

Vitalie SAVIN Vitalie.Savin@osce.org +373 69 87 1663 National Programme Officer

South-Eastern Europe

Field operation Department Contact person Email Phone

Presence in Security Darko ANGELOV Darko.Angelov@osce.org +355 69 401 0065 Albania Co-operation Head of Security Co-operation Department

Sasho TRPCHEVSKI Sasho.Trpchevski@osce.org +355 4 224 0001 Law Enforcement Development Officer

158  Appendices

Mission to Security Mateusz Mateusz.Lempkowski@osce. +387 33 95 2230 Bosnia and Co-operation LEMPKOWSKI org Herzegovina Head of Security Co-operation

Nadina HODZIC Nadina.Hodzic@osce.org +387 33 95 2221 Office Assistant

Mission in Security and Bertram WELSING Bertram.Welsing@osce.org +381 28 270 008 Kosovo Public Safety Director of the Department for Security and Public Safety

Apollon HOXHA Apollon.Hoxha@osce.org +383 38 2401 0020 15 National Programme Co-ordination Officer

Mission to Security Stephen Robert Stephen.Harmon@osce.org +382 20 406441 8 Montenegro Co-operation HARMON and Governance Programme Manager, Security Co-Operation and Governance

Milos ULJAREVIC Milos.Uljarevic@osce.org +382 20 406404 4404 Project Assistant

Mission to Security Valentin MIKHAILOV Valentin.Mikhailov@osce.org +381 11 360 6207 Serbia Co-operation Head of Security Co-operation Department

Natasa RISTOVIC Natasa.Ristovic@osce.org +381 11 360 6253 National Programme Officer

Jovan PAVLOVIC Jovan.Pavlovic@osce.org +381 11 360 6210 Senior Programme Assistant

Mission to Public Safety Edward ANDERSON Edward.Anderson@osce.org +389 70 358524 Skopje and Community Head of Public Safety Outreach and Community Outreach

Gordana MITROVIC Gordana.Mitrovic@osce.org +389 70 358940 Senior Police Adviser

Meri DIMIROVSKA Meri.Dimirovska@osce.org +389 70 358495 National Programme Co- ordination Officer

159 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES 2024

Central Asia

Field operation Department Contact person Email Phone

Centre in Conflict Guncha NEPESOVA Guncha.Nepesova@osce.org +993 6503 3942 7321 Ashgabat Prevention and Senior Programme Confidence Assistant and Security Building

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

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

Programme Politico-Military Konstantin Konstantin.Bedarev@osce.org +996 312 612445 7129 Office in Activities Victorovich Bishkek BEDAREV Head of Politico-Military Department

Milica IVANOVA Ivanova.Milica@osce.org +996 755 750020 Police Matters Adviser

Irina Irina.Glushchenko@osce.org +996 312 612445 7148 GLUSHCHENKO Programme Associate

Programme Political Jukka TUONONEN Jukka.Tuononen@osce.org +992 98 7601758 Office in and Military Head of Politico-Military Dushanbe Aspects of Department Security Miroslav MILOJEVIC Miroslav.milojevic@osce.org +992 98 7601788 Police Issues Adviser

Bakhrom Bakhrom.Abdullaev@osce.org +992 98 7830017 ABDULLAEV National Police Assistance Officer

Project Politico-Military Sergei SIZOV Sergei.Sizov@osce.org +998 71 140 0470 7204 Co-ordinator Activities Senior Project Officer in Uzbekistan Mirza Ulugbek Qodir Mirza.Abdullaev@osce.org +998 71 140 0470 7232 Ugli ABDULLAEV National Project Officer

160 The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Wallnerstrasse 6 A-1010 Vienna, Austria Tel.: +43 1 514 360

pm@osce.org www.osce.org

Follow OSCE