UNODC, CASC Network and CARICC co-organize a regional training on investigation of cybercrime cases in Central Asia for prosecutors from the region

From 16 to 19 April, UNODC, in collaboration with the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC) and experts from the Judicial Cooperation Network for Central Asia and Southern Caucasus (the CASC Network), held a regional training on investigation of cybercrime cases in Central Asia for prosecutors from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

During the training held at CARICC in Almaty, Kazakhstan, prosecutors from Central Asian states, together with experts from Georgia, Qatar and Uzbekistan, discussed best practices, challenges, and the importance of cross-border cooperation in combating cybercrime.

The training aimed to address the increasing threats of cybercrime, which not only pose risks to the digital infrastructure and cybersecurity of Member States in Central Asia but also have real-world implications, such as online fraud, drug trafficking, and money laundering facilitated by information and communication technologies.

During the training's opening, Atageldi Yazlyev, Director of CARICC, emphasized the importance of the training in light of the rapid development of information and communication technologies in the region, heightening the associated cyber threat risks. He acknowledged the valuable outcomes stemming from the collaboration between CARICC, UNODC, and the CASC Network, establishing a regional training platform for enhancing investigative and judicial cooperation in Central Asia. Mr. Yazlyev underlined the CARICC’s role as a pivotal platform for law enforcement agencies across participating countries and observer states within the center, expressing eagerness for sustained cooperation with UNODC.

Yusuf Kurbonov, International Programme Coordinator at the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia, underscored the UNODC’s commitment to supporting Member States in addressing global cybercrime challenges. “Through various initiatives like capacity-building, legislative aid, training, and awareness-raising campaigns, UNODC endeavors to equip countries with the necessary tools to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute cybercrime effectively,” he noted.

The discussion on cyber threats and trends anticipated for 2030, alongside the interplay between emerging cyber trends and their implications for Central Asian nations, was led by Amr El Rahwan, a Cybercrime Expert from the UNODC Regional Center for Combatting Cybercrime in Doha, who facilitated the training. “The center's core objectives are enhancing the capacities and offering professional training to empower law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges in combating cybercrime within the MENA region and globally,” he outlined.

The diverse expertise shared by the UNODC experts and invited experts from the CASC Network, including Gayrat Musaev, Head of the Scientific and Methodological Center for Digital Forensics of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Askarjon Zakirov, Expert and Head of Department at the National Agency of Perspective Projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Tamar Bezhuashvili, Prosecutor at the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia and the CASC Network Contact Point enriched the participants’ learning experience through practical exercises and knowledge-sharing sessions.

Participants engaged in a range of practical exercises focused on cybercrime detection, electronic evidence admissibility, cryptocurrency tracing and recovery, open source intelligence, combatting crime committed via the Darknet, artificial intelligence and person-centric open source intelligence, international cooperation mechanisms, joint investigation teams and parallel investigation as effective instruments to combat cybercrime, sustainable training plans to address cybercrime threats, and more.

Participants could also benefit from Ms. Bezhuashvili’s experience in Georgia, who shared good practices on the Georgian cybercrime experience concerning drug-related crime.

This intensive four-day training initiative, jointly organized by UNODC, CARICC and the CASC Network with financial support from the U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), equipped legal professionals with the tools and knowledge necessary to tackle cybercrime effectively.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Nurangez Abdulhamidova

Communications and External Relations Specialist

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia

Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org