Obtaining digital evidence for use in investigations and prosecutions was the focus of an INTERPOL workshop in Singapore last week.
Bringing together some 30 law enforcement investigators, prosecutors and judicial authorities from the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, the three-day workshop – convened from August 22 to 24 – aimed to assist participants in identifying and accessing electronic evidence which may be located in several jurisdictions.
Supported by a team of instructors from the US Department of Justice, topics addressed during the workshop included recognizing and recovering evidence from digital devices; the links between cybercrime and digital evidence; formal and informal avenues for requesting digital evidence; the role of mutual legal assistance treaties; challenges in obtaining investigation-related digital information across multiple jurisdictions; and INTERPOL’s assistance in obtaining cross-border digital evidence.
As digital evidence is often held by private companies such as Internet Service Providers and social media platforms, the workshop also served to connect law enforcement, judicial authorities and private industry by examining the acquisition and use of evidence obtained from these companies in criminal investigations.
The workshop was held under the umbrella of the ASEAN Cyber Capacity Development project to enhance regional and international cooperation on cyber capacity building for ASEAN countries. The two-year project is funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund 2.0 and supported by the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs.
Be the first to comment