OSCE builds Uzbekistan’s capacity in requesting electronic evidence across borders

On 4 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, hosted the second expert-level meeting on requesting electronic evidence across borders in Tashkent.

The event centered on the presentation of the key findings from the OSCE needs assessment mission (NAM) conducted in July 2024 as part of Project E-VIDENCE and was attended by over 30 representatives from parliament, law enforcement agencies, judiciary, academia and international organizations.

“Terrorist groups operate in an increasingly regional and global manner, including through the use of propaganda for the purpose of online recruitment, or by taking advantage of disinformation campaigns that capitalize on anti-government sentiments, undermine counter-terrorism efforts and threaten stability. These developments underscore the need for sustained international effort, legislation and cooperation. We will not be able to stay ahead of terrorist organizations, if we fail to strengthen regional cooperation,” said Sonja Kuip, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Central Asia based in Astana, Kazakhstan—which also oversees Uzbekistan— during her opening remarks.

The participants engaged in comprehensive discussions led by local and international experts, analyzing the needs assessment, addressing legal challenges and introducing international good practices tailored to Uzbekistan’s national context.

“The needs assessment has provided valuable insights into areas where Uzbekistan’s legal and procedural frameworks can be further strengthened,” said Gayrat Musaev, Head of the Scientific and Research Institute of Digital Forensics of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. “By integrating international best practices and adapting them to our national context, we can create a system for cross-border electronic evidence requests that respects privacy and ensures fairness and accountability in legal processes.”

The participants agreed to establish a formal working group led by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan to develop concrete mechanisms for enhancing Uzbekistan's legislative and institutional frameworks to implement the NAM recommendations. This initiative aims to align national practices with global standards for requesting electronic evidence across borders, ensuring the protection of privacy and adherence to the rule of law.

“We are confident that the outcomes of this experts' meeting will support the ongoing national efforts aimed at harmonizing the regulatory frameworks on electronic evidence in line with international human rights standards,” said Clemens Schwanhold, Head of the Political Section at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Uzbekistan.

Project E-VIDENCE is an extrabudgetary initiative supported by Germany and the Netherlands that aims to enhance national capacities across the OSCE area to request electronic evidence for investigating online criminal matters, including terrorism-related cases, while adhering to human rights.