Criminal Matters Network

1. Criminal Matters Network

2. Overview OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla • Background: • REMJA Meetings • Working Group on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and Extradition • The Criminal Matters Network • Purpose • Background • Composition • New Developments

3. OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Background • What are the REMJA? • (1997) Main political and technical hemispheric forum in areas related to the strengthening of and access to justice and international legal cooperation in areas related to mutual assistance in criminal matters, extradition, penitentiary and prison policies, cyber-crime, and trafficking in persons, among others. • Who participates in REMJA? • The Ministers of Justice or other Ministers or Attorneys General of the OAS Member states.

4. OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Background • REMJA Meetings • REMJA I (Buenos Aires, 1997) • REMJA II (Lima, 1999) • REMJA III (San José, 2000) • REMJA IV (Port of Spain, 2002) • REMJA V (OAS Headquarters, 2004) • REMJA VI (Santo Domingo, 2006) • REMJA VII (Washington, DC, 2008) • REMJA VIII (Brasilia, 2010)

5. OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Background • Developments: • Judicial system reform: JSCA • Transnational organized crime • Cyber-crime • MLA and extradition • Trafficking in persons • Penitentiary and prison policies • Forensic sciences • Family and Child Law • Developments on MLA and extradition: • The Working Group • The Criminal Matters Network

6. OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla The Working Group • Composition: • Central authorities and other government experts on international legal cooperation with direct responsibilities in the area of MLA in criminal matters and extradition in the OAS member states. • Purpose: • To serve as the principal hemispheric forum to enhance cooperation, facilitate the exchange of information and experiences and make the necessary recommendations to that effect.

7. OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla The Working Group • Developments and mandates: • Meetings: • I Meeting (Ottawa, Canada, 2003) • II Meeting (Brasilia, Brazil, 2005) • III Meeting (Bogota, Colombia, 2007) • IV Meeting (San Salvador, El Salvador, 2009) • Main development: “CRIMINAL MATTERS NETWORK"

8. OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Purpose: • Increase and improve the exchange of information among the OAS Member states on MLA and extradition. • Background: • REMJA III (San José, 2000) - Create a network. • III Summit of the Americas (Québec, 2001)- Reiterate the creation of a network. • REMJA IV (Port-of-Spain, 2002) – Development of a private site. • REMJA V (OAS, 2004) – Adoption of the Criminal Matters Network. • REMJA VI,VII and VIII – Consolidationof the Criminal Matters Network.

9. OASCriminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Composition: • Public Component: • Free Virtual Library on legal information from the OAS Member States. • Private Component: • Pertinent information for people directly involved in legal cooperation. • Secure Component: • Information Technology tool to manage a secure and collaborative work space.

10. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Public Component: • Introduction to the legal system of each Member state • Description of the legal system and administration of justice • Current versions of basic legal texts • Cooperation procedures with and of the Member state • Types of documents for the presentation of requests • Applicable legislation, jurisprudence and documents • Bilateral and multilateral treaties in force

11. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla

12. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Private Component: • Preparatory information for future meetings • Directory • Surveys • Questionnaires and feedback • Glossary

13. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: • Characteristics: • To facilitate secure communications • Confidentiality of the information: • No central data base. • No OAS Member state should have control of the application. • GS/OAS does not have access to the information transmitted. • Platform • Microsoft Office Groove

14. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: • Characteristics (cont.) • Facilitates secure communications among geographically disperse teams. • Data encryption (192 bits) – Security is always on – it is not optional. • Information is 100% confidential. • There is no central data repository. • Users decide with whom they share information – “Work Spaces”.

15. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: • Reach:30 countries (+120 users)

16. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla

17. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • Secure Electronic Communication System: • Training: “E-Learning” Microsoft Office Groove 2007 • 5 E-Learning Modules • On-line Help • Continuous update resource • Face-to-face training courses

18. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Criminal Matters Network • New developments: • MLA Request e-Form • Detailed Contact Directory • Dictionary of legal terms for MLA in Criminal Matters and Extradition (4 official languages) • Secure Videoconference System

19. OAS Criminal Matters Network www.oas.org/juridico/mla Thank you! Luiz Marcelo Azevedo Department of Legal Cooperation Secretariat for Legal Affairs