OSCE Strengthens Judges’ Capacity on Cybercrime: Training Sessions Held Across the Regions

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 14–15 April 2026, Navoi hosted a training course for judges titled “Cybercrime in Information Technologies: From Detection to Judicial Decision.” The event was organized by the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan in cooperation with the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It brought together 20 judges and chairpersons of district and city criminal courts from the Navoi region.

Cybercrime in its various forms - online fraud, data and financial theft, account hacking, and attacks on websites and information systems - is increasingly common and can affect anyone in everyday life. At the same time, these offenses are highly complex, particularly when it comes to investigation and legal qualification, including how digital conduct is assessed in court.

This underscores the importance of ongoing capacity-building initiatives for judges in the field of cybercrime. During the Navoi training, participants explored key aspects of combating cybercrime, the specifics of investigating and adjudicating such cases, and the use of digital evidence, along with the basics of digital forensics. Particular attention was given to blockchain technology, crypto-assets, and the challenges of investigating crimes involving the darknet.

The discussions also addressed international cooperation in tackling cross-border cybercrime, as well as the admissibility and evaluation of digital evidence in court proceedings, with due regard for human rights in criminal justice processes. The program is designed to strengthen the institutional capacity of the judiciary in responding to cybercrime.

The training is part of an ongoing series of OSCE-supported activities aimed at enhancing judges’ professional skills in response to the rapidly evolving landscape of digital crime, under the project “Development of national capacities to counter Cyber/ICT threats.” A similar session was previously held in Samarkand, with further trainings planned in Andijan, Bukhara, Gulistan, Jizzakh, Khiva and Nukus in the coming months.