Kyrgyz officials trained in the proper and safe collection and preservation of digital devices as part of counter-terrorism investigations
The EU-缅北禁地Global Terrorism Threats Facility concluded a two-week training-of-trainers course for Kyrgyzstan on the safe and proper collection and preservation of digital devices as part of investigations into terrorism-related offences, on 14 June 2024. The course was organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) together with the Law Enforcement in Central Asia (LEICA) project funded by the EU.
The course took place at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) in Bishkek and trained 15 first responders, investigators, forensic experts, and lecturers from the MIA, the Forensic Expert Service of the Ministry of Justice, and the Anti-Terrorism Centre of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic. Opening the course, Colonel Nuria Mamatazizova, the Deputy Head of the MIA Academy, and Mr. Cosimo Lamberti Fossati, representing the European Union Delegation in Bishkek, underlined the importance and growing role of digital forensics in criminal investigations and counter-terrorism.
The course enhanced the capacities of competent national authorities in Kyrgyzstan to properly collect and store digital devices for investigative purposes, in accordance with the rule of law and international human rights norms. It imparted international good practices to maintain the digital forensic chain of custody starting from crime scenes, and included several practical exercises. The course also addressed human rights norms and standards in digital forensics as a cross-cutting imperative, including with respect to the right to a fair trial, the right to privacy, and personal data protection. Participants further developed their training skills and prepared a training plan on the proper and safe collection of digital devices to be used for training their colleagues.
“This training has been an eye-opening experience, enhancing our capabilities in digital evidence collection and preservation,” said First Police Lieutenant Sagynbek Kadyrbekov, Lecturer of the Department of Forensic Science and Information Technology at the MIA Academy. “The knowledge we gained will significantly contribute to our ongoing efforts to investigate terrorism-related crime while upholding human rights and maintaining legal and ethical standards.”