Crime Prevention

Organized crimes

 Illicit drug trafficking has direct links to other transnational and domestic criminal activities involving organized criminal groups. Like other countries, in Iran organized criminal activities and money laundering pose a major challenge to the society. The magnitude of drug trafficking, organized crime and other criminal activities affiliated thereto, like money laundering, signifies the need for a coordinated approach at international level to tackle these problems. That is why technical assistance in judicial matters and the promotion of international cooperation among interested countries is crucial to finding appropriate countermeasures. In this context, Iranian judicial authorities recognize that an effective campaign against drug trafficking and organized crimes would require increased cooperation with the international community through mutual legal assistance.

Iran has actively participated in the negotiations resulting in the UN Convention against Trans-national Organized Crime and is a signatory to this Convention.

Iran has also signed and ratified agreements for cooperation in security matters with the governments of Italy, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Kuwait and Yemen. The provisions of these agreements cover issues directly related to transnational organized crimes.

In 2005, the Iranian Judiciary signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation against transnational organized crime with the National Anti-mafia Bureau of Italy. This Memorandum provides for establishment of direct contacts between the focal points of each party and their cooperation to exchange information on transnational organized crime groups and individuals. Preparations and signing of this Memorandum of Understanding was facilitated by UNODC Country Office in Iran in accordance with a memorandum of cooperation between UNODC and Italian Anti - mafia Bureau.

Money Laundering

 Illicit drug trafficking has direct links to other transnational and domestic criminal activities involving organized criminal groups. Like other countries, in Iran organized criminal activities and money laundering pose a major challenge to the society. The magnitude of drug trafficking, organized crime and other criminal activities affiliated thereto, like money laundering, signifies the need for a coordinated approach at international level to tackle these problems. That is why technical assistance in judicial matters and the promotion of international cooperation among interested countries is crucial to finding appropriate countermeasures. In this context, Iranian judicial authorities recognize that an effective campaign against drug trafficking and organized crimes would require increased cooperation with the international community through mutual legal assistance.

In 2003, the Government of Iran submitted to the Parliament a draft law against money laundering. This draft envisages the establishment of a mechanism to fight this phenomenon. Iranian authorities have recognized that an anti money laundering campaign is one of the most appropriate tools to combat illicit drug trafficking and organized crime through depriving criminal organizations from their financial resources. Technical assistance in this area appears to be of utmost importance since many public and private agencies are not familiar with the implementation of the anti-money laundering legislation.

Trafficking in human beings

 Tackling trafficking in human beings poses great challenges to national criminal justice systems as well as law enforcement. In 2004, the Iranian Parliament ratified a law prohibiting trafficking of persons by means of the threat or use of force, coercion, abuse of power or of position of vulnerability of the victim, for purposes of prostitution, removal of organs, slavery or forced marriage. Although the new law has already entered into force, it appears that the responses by the criminal justice system and law enforcement entities have yet to be improved to tackle all aspects of the problem. In particular a coordination mechanism involving all relevant stakeholders, namely the Judiciary, the government law enforcement bodies and the civil society has to be established.

The I.R. of Iran has become party of the following relevant Conventions: International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention on the Abolition of Forced Labor, the United Nations Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices similar to Slavery, the UN Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Person and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It also has ratified the ILO Convention to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor.

Although Iran has also actively participated in the negotiations resulting in the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and is a signatory to this Convention, it has not signed the accompanying UN Protocol of Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Person Especially Women and Children. In addition Iran still has not signed the optional Protocol to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Iran has also signed separate memorandums of understanding with IOM and ILO to enhance the capacity of its institutions for combat human trafficking. Moreover Iran has signed memorandums of understanding on security cooperation with Turkey (2005) and Afghanistan. These memorandums are, among other things, focuses on campaign against human trafficking at bilateral and regional levels.

Cyber crimes

 Internet usage has expanded at exponential levels in recent years, across the globe.  Between 2000 and 2005 global internet penetration (i.e. the number of people with regular access to the internet) has increased by 182%.  No region has seen faster growth than the Middle East, at 454%, and within the Middle East region, no country has higher internet penetration growth rates than Iran, at a staggering 2,900% between 2000 and 2005.  Iran now has 7,500,000 internet users, or just over 10% of its population.  In tandem with record levels of internet usage, the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet, eCommerce, is also increasing rapidly.  Worth over $1 trillion globally in 2005, in Iran it is expected to grow from $1.4 billion in 2003 to $12.8 billion by the end of 2006.

Unfortunately, but unexpectedly, the rise in internet usage and eCommerce has given rise to a parallel rise in cyber crime.  Cyber crime can be defined as 'criminal or otherwise malicious activity utilizing or directed towards the internet and/or information technology applications'.  Globally, it is increasing broadly in line with eCommerce, with 2004 statistics showing increases of 50% for viruses and 30% for fraud.  Although there are no statistics for cyber crime in Iran, it is noticeably on the increase, as evidenced by various events

The Iranian authorities see legislation and other measures against cyber crime as a priority in the fight against crime, on a national and international basis.  This is evidenced by cyber crime being identified as one of the five key areas targeted by the Commission on Making Criminal Policy and Reforming the Penal Laws.

In identifying cyber crime as one of the five target areas, the government has acknowledged the need to tackle this issue, and recognizes that international cooperation and utilization of international best practices would facilitate fulfillment of this objective.

The principal objectives of this project are to improve Iranian judicial and law enforcement capacities related to cyber crime, provide detailed statistics on the incidence of cyber crime in Iran, develop a co-ordinated response mechanism to cyber crime and finally to promote a general awareness of cyber crime amongst the internet-enabled population.

Terrorism

National Terrorism Prevention framework