Between 4 to 6 April 2023, representatives of law enforcement, judiciary and defence attorneys from Georgia were engaged in an in-country exercise, designed to refine their understanding and knowledge of legal and practical aspects related to cybercrime and electronic evidence, in line with the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (the Budapest Convention).
The exercise is part of a series of activities that contribute to improved skills of criminal justice actors on cybercrime and electronic evidence. The notable feature of the exercise was the involvement of all parties to the criminal proceedings, also including defence attorneys, to create a realistic environment for investigation. These skills are essential, not only for the individual learning process, but also for promoting interagency co-operation between legal professionals.
The event was facilitated by two Council of Europe experts, Hania ELHELWEH and Mick JAMEISON, who used a “learning by doing” approach. Crime prevention, detection and prosecution was discussed, with a particular focus on preparing for search and seizure activities involving electronic evidence, dealing with digital devices that are part of the investigation, as well as practical ways of presenting cybercrime evidence during hearings, considering the Georgian criminal law system. The mock trial proved to be an effective learning tool, as it featured input from various legal professionals from Georgia, presenting distinctive perspectives of the criminal justice actors.
Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (the Budapest Convention)
First Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime
Second Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime