Criminal Law Network Criminal Law Network Contents Background

Criminal Law Network

Criminal Law Network Contents • Background: – The Process of the REMJA – The Working Group in Mutual Penal Assistance and Extradition • Criminal Law Network – Purpose – Background – Composition – Secure Electronic Communication System • Features, scope and training – New developments

Criminal Law Network Background • ¿What are the REMJAs? – (1997) Most important hemispheric political and technical forum in matters related to the strengthening of and access to justice and international legal cooperation in areas associated with mutual assistance in criminal matters; extradition; penitentiary policies; cyber crime; forensic sciences; among others. • ¿Who participates? – The Ministers of Justice or other Ministers, or Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA).

Criminal Law Network Background • ¿How many REMJAs have been held? • REMJA I (Buenos Aires, 1997) • REMJA II (Lima, 1999) • REMJA III (San Jose, 2000) • REMJA IV (Port Spain, 2002) • REMJA V (OAS headquarters, 2004) • REMJA VI (Santo Domingo, 2006) • REMJA VII (Washington, DC, 2008) • Next REMJA VIII (Brasil, 2010)

Criminal Law Network Background • Some areas in which progress has been made: – – – – Reforms to the justice system: CEJA Transnational Organized Crime Cyber crime Mutual Penal Assistance and Extradition Traffic in persons Penitentiary policies Forensic sciences • Developments in criminal mutual assistance and extradition • The Working Group in Mutual Penal Assistance and Extradition

Criminal Law Network The Working Group • Integration: – Central Authorities in charge of international legal cooperation and other governmental experts with responsibility for mutual criminal assistance and extradition in member states of the OAS • Purpose: – Serve as the principal hemispheric forum to strengthen cooperation, facilitate the exchange of information and experiences como el principal foro hemisférico para fortalecer la cooperación, facilitar el intercambio de información y de experiencias and issue the necessary recommendations to that effect.

Criminal Law Network The Working Group • Developments and mandates: – Process of Meetings: • • I Meeting (Ottawa, Canada, 2003) II Meeting (Brasilia, Brazil, 2005) III Meeting (Bogota, Colombia, 2007) IV Meeting (San Salvador, El Salvador, 2009) – Principal development: “CRIMINAL LAW NETWORK"

Criminal Law Network • Purpose: – Increase and improve the exchange of information between member states of the OAS in the area of criminal mutual assistance and extradition. • Background: – REMJA III (San Jose, 2000) – Establish a Network. – III Summit of the Americas (Québec, 2001) - Reiterate the establishment of a network. – REMJA IV (Port Spain, 2002) – Development of a private site. – REMJA V (OAS, 2004) - Adoption of the Criminal Law Network – REMJA VI y VII - Consolidation of the Criminal Law Network

Criminal Law Network • Composition: – Public Component: • Online free database to obtain legal information about member states. – Private Component: • Useful information for the persons directly involved in judicial cooperation. – Secure Component: • Informatic tool to manage a safe and collaborative environment.

Criminal Law Network • Public Component: – Introduction to the legal system of each state. – Description of the judicial system and administration of justice. – Current versions of fundamental legal texts. – Procedures of cooperation with and of the state – Standard documents for the filing of request. – Applicable legislation, judicial decisions and documents. – Bilateral and multilateral treaties in force. – Electronic informative bulletin.

Criminal Law Network

Criminal Law Network • Private Component: – Information about meetings – Directory of Central Authorities – Surveys – Questionnaries and their responses – Glossary

Criminal Law Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: – Features: • Facilitate secure communications • Confidenciality of information: – No centralized database – No member states has control of its application – SG/OAS does not have access to the information conveyed • Platform – Microsoft Office Groove

Criminal Law Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: – Features (continued…) • Facilitates a secure communication between geographically disperse computers • Encryption of data (security is always present – it is not optional) • Information is confidential • There is no central database • Users decide with whom they share information (work spaces)

Criminal Law Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: – Current scope: 30 countries (+ 130 users) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Belize Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Dominica Ecuador El Salvador United STates Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Pera Dominican Republic St. Kitts and Nevis Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Uruguay Venezuela

Criminal Law Network

Criminal Law Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: – Training: “E-Learning” Microsoft Office Groove 2007 • • • 5 Units Learning tool Online assistance Mean for permanent update Complements in-person training sessions:

Criminal Law Network • New developments: – Electronic form for requests for mutual assistance – New contact lists – Glossaries of legal terms in mutual penal assistance and extradition (4 official languages) – System of Secure Videoconference

Criminal Law Network Thank you General Secretariat for Legal Affairs Departament of Legal Cooperation Legal. Cooperation@oas. org