The investigation process and its special features in cases of human trafficking and money laundering

Details

Published: September 8, 2023

The two-day training of trainers on “The investigation process and its special features in cases of human trafficking and money laundering” was held in Amman on 4-5 July, 2023 as part of the project “Increasing Efficiency in Criminal Proceedings”, which the IRZ is implementing with the Jordanian Ministry of Justice and the Jordanian Judicial Council. The seminar is part of the project “Promotion of Legal Certainty: Support for Criminal Law Reforms in Jordan (2020-2023)” funded by the Federal Foreign Office.

Jordan is pursuing a strategic plan up to 2026 which, among others, aims to create a transparent and more efficient criminal court system. Mr. Qais Al-Ghazawi, judge at the Zarqa Court, kicked the seminar off by highlighting the great interest shown by the Jordanian partners and the importance of a close working relationship.

On the first day, the focus of the two-day training of trainers was on the specifics of the investigation process in human trafficking cases. Judge Dr. Thaer Nassar, Public Prosecutor in Amman, gave an insight into the structure and procedure of the investigation process in Jordan. He paid particular attention to the structure of the cooperation between the Public Prosecutor's Office, the court police and the Directorate of Public Security. Gunnar Schenk, Chief Detective at the Berlin State Criminal Police Office (LKA) and Deputy Head of the processing and combating of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation to the detriment of minors, provided an insight into the German design of the investigation process and the approach to such cases. In his lecture, he used case studies to present German best practice models in the investigation process of human trafficking cases. Jordan and Germany face similar challenges in the combat against human trafficking. The biggest difference, however, lies in the approach to the investigation process, as the structure in Germany places an emphasis on cooperation between the police and the Public Prosecutor's Office, whereby the police have the power to initiate investigations if suspicion arises. In Jordan, however, the Code of Criminal Procedure does not stipulate an initiative in police investigations, as this is the responsibility of the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The second day explored the structure and procedure in the investigation process in corruption and money laundering cases. Dr. Peter Schneiderhan, lawyer and retired Senior Public Prosecutor, gave an insight into the practices of a Public Prosecutor, and Dr. Thaer Nassar used ongoing case studies to address the current difficulties of criminal prosecution. This provoked some useful exchanges, as participants could report their experiences with similar challenges in a targeted manner.

The event will be followed by additional measures during the year, such as a trip to Berlin from a delegation and a further exchange of experiences to tie in with the issues and challenges within the framework of the training of trainers regarding the investigation process.

The IRZ would like to thank the experts and participants of the Jordanian Judicial Council for the efficient exchange of experiences and the successful cooperation, and is looking forward to further seminars.