Judges and prosecutors play an important role in the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of individuals or groups that have committed crimes. With the increased number of incidence where these crimes have a digital element, a need is created for judges and prosecutors to be properly trained to understand the nature of these crimes and to also be aware of the legislation and the instruments for international cooperation available to handle cases of cybercrimes. Experience suggests that in most cases, judges and prosecutors encounter difficulties in coping with the new realities of the cyber world.

Developing sustainable training programmes is the only effective manner of ensuring that judges and prosecutors have sufficient knowledge to fulfil their roles effectively. To this end, the Council of Europe cooperates with countries to identify their needs and then work with them:

• To enable training institutes to deliver initial and in-service cybercrime training based on international standards
• To create a cadre of national trainers that are able to deliver courses as part of a documented training strategy for judicial training
• To equip the largest possible number of future and practicing judges and prosecutors with basic knowledge on cybercrime and electronic evidence
• To provide advanced training to a critical number of judges and prosecutors
• To support the continued specialisation and technical training of judges and prosecutors
• To contribute to enhanced knowledge through networking among judges and prosecutors

The Council of Europe now intends to take this a step further by discussing the feasibility and the sustainability of an international network of national judicial trainers on cybercrime and electronic evidence. The purpose is to permit national trainers to connect, share experience and remain up-to-date.

The first Meeting of the National Judicial Trainers on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence took place on 10-12 July 2019 in Strasbourg, France. Around 100 judges, prosecutors, representatives of training institutions and other national authorities from more than 20 countries of Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific met to increase their knowledge with regard to the current global landscape of cybercrime, responses regarding cybercrime and electronic evidence, including the standards of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and the work of the Cybercrime Convention Committee (T-CY). Participants shared their experience, challenges good practices, as well as needs and priorities related to training on cybercrime and electronic evidence and considered the benefits, feasibility and steps to be taken regarding a network of national judicial trainers on cybercrime and electronic evidence.

CHECK THE MEETING WEBPAGE FOR PRESENTATIONS AND MORE RESOURCES

• iPROCEEDS project webpage
• Glacy+ webpage
• CyberSouth webpage