LAB 6 - Prosecutor’s responses

19 November 2015 - 11.00-12.30 - Room 11, Palais de l'Europe, Interpretation: FR/EN/RU

What is the Prosecutor’s role in acknowledging and investigating mass surveillance and how useful is surveillance really for the prosecutor’s work of detecting criminals and terrorists?

Initiative 1

Investigation of mass surveillance and prosecution of cyber- crimes - Challenges or failed expectations?

Edward Snowdens disclosures, illegal wire taping of mobile-phones, not only used by politicians, and possible activities of secret services using methods of mass surveillance - the public called for a response through investigation and prosecution. On the other hand, investigation units stress the need to collect mass data-base to prohibit and detect criminals and terrorists. These two sides of the coin will be presented, enlightened and disussed.

Presenter(s)

Mr Harald RANGE, Germany, Former Attorney General of Germany

Mr. Harald Range was the Federal Public Prosecutor attached to the Federal High Court of Germany (2011-2015). He has been holding different positions in the prosecution services in the German land of Lower Saxony, including Prosecutor General and director of the criminal departement of the Ministry of Justice there. As Head of the Federal Public Prosecution he was responsible for the investigation in cases of Espionage and Terrorism and other severe crimes against state's interests. He was president of the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE) and is the German national representative in the CCPE.

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Discussants

Discussants are invited to take part in the Labs in order to share their experience with the presented democratic initiatives and try to bring broader perspectives to the following discussions.

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Mr Péter POLT, Hungary, Prosecutor General of Hungary

Dr. Péter Polt is Prosecutor General of Hungary and Head of Department of Criminal Law at National University of Public Service, Faculty of Law Enforcement, Institute of Criminal Sciences. Mr Polt holds a PhD in Law and Political Sciences from the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, in Budapest. In 2000 he was elected General Prosecutor of the Republic of Hungary and in 2006 Chief Counselor of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Hungary, becoming the Head of the Department for Criminal Trial Cases. Mr Polt has been very active on an international level as well, covering roles as Vice Chair of the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors at the Council of Europe (2006-2008) and President of the Network of Public Prosecutors or equivalent institutions at the Supreme Judicial Courts of the Member States of the European Union (2011 – 2012).

Moderator

Mr Alexander SEGER, Germany, Head of Cybercrime Division, Council of Europe

Alexander Seger has been with the Council of Europe (Strasbourg, France) since 1999. He is Executive Secretary of the Committee of the Parties to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and heading the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) in Bucharest, Romania, which is responsible for global capacity building on cybercrime. Before 1999, he was with what now is the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna/Austria, Laos and Pakistan. Alexander Seger is from Germany and holds a PhD in political science, law and social anthropology after studies in Heidelberg, Bordeaux and Bonn.

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Cartoonist

Ms Aline ROLLIN