iPROCEEDS-2: Introductory Training Course for Judges and Prosecutors on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence in Kosovo*
The fast development of information and communications systems and wide exposure of the society to the internet goes hand in hand with the rise of crimes committed against the computers or by using new technologies. The practitioners in the criminal justice system, need to have a good grasp on the basic concepts of investigating hi-tech offences, search, seize and secure electronic evidence and follow online crime proceeds to successfully handle cybercrime cases.
The Council of Europe approach is to provide support and guidance to criminal justice professionals in investigating cybercrime and handing electronic evidence. For this purpose, on 11 – 13 October 2022, the Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC), and the iPROCEEDS-2 project, a joint action of the European Union and the Council of Europe, therefore, delivered the Introductory Training Course for Judges and Prosecutors on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence to around 15 magistrates and police officers from Kosovo.
This course provided a solid base for future trainings such as advanced and specialized courses and introduced the participants to the first concepts and topics relating to cybercrime, electronic evidence and international cooperation. The training focused on Internet basics, cybercrime terminology during the investigation and prosecution phases, the substantive provisions, procedural powers and international and interagency cooperation concepts provided by the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. In the end relevant case studies and comparison with the national law of Kosovo highly engaged the participants contribution and they expressed their need for more advanced and specialised courses on Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence.
The iPROCEEDS-2 project will continue to provide judicial training to the magistrates in the project countries and increase their skills to handle the investigations and prosecutions more effectively and make decisions more informed and well argued.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo* Declaration of Independence.
