A delegation of officials from the Philippines delivered an introductory course on cybercrime and electronic evidence to some 30 Indonesian prosecutors in Jakarta. The program was organised in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Indonesia, as part of the Joint Project of the European Union and the Council of Europe GLACY+.

Indonesia is the most populated country in South East Asia and fourth in the world, with a booming digital economy that projects the country to play a primary role in the region in the years to come. Handling properly the equivalently increasing number of cases of cybercrime and cyber-related crimes will soon become a top priority of national criminal justice authorities.

During his opening speech, H.E. Vincent Guérend, the EU Ambassador to Indonesia, acknowledged the important role that the Philippines’ judicial authorities have acquired in the field, as first country in the ASEAN region to have successfully completed the process of accession to the Budapest Convention:

"Given the Philippines' commitment and its rich experience in driving the fight against cybercrime forward together with international partners, the Philippines functions as a platform to promote triangular cooperation. With this model, it is possible to promote cooperation and exchange of good practices to entire regions, with the ASEAN region being of particular importance."

The pool of trainers, composed by two judges from the Supreme Court, one prosecutor and one official from the Department of Justice, was identified by the Supreme Court of the Philippines among the specialised trainers that have been formed in the Philippines in the framework of the GLACY and GLACY+ programs. A specific focus was dedicated to conditions and safeguards that have to be put in place when applying procedural powers in cybercrime investigations and prosecutions.

The course was also the occasion to restart the dialogue between the Council of Europe and the Indonesian authorities on the need to harmonise the national legislation with international standards provided under the Budapest Convention.