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Turkmenistan Takes a Step Forward in Cybersecurity with OSCE Training Course
Ashgabat - In an effort to strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities, Turkmenistan recently hosted an introductory training course on cybercrime and digital evidence, courtesy of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Course Objectives and Participants
The five-day course, held from May 9-12, brought together 25 representatives from various government agencies, including:
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Office of the Prosecutor General
- Cybersecurity Service of “Turkmenaragatnashyk” Agency
Training Program Highlights
The training program, organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) in cooperation with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, aimed to equip participants with essential skills to combat cybercrime. The course covered key concepts such as:
- Digital evidence
- Digital forensics
- Human rights considerations in cybercrime investigations
Course Content and Outcomes
During the training, participants learned how to:
- Identify, seize, and secure potential sources of digital evidence at a crime scene and online
- Ensure compliance with international best practices and human rights standards in cybercrime investigations
Future Cooperation and Commitment
On the sidelines of the course, representatives from TNTD and the OSCE Centre met with top officials from the Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Department for Law and International Relations to discuss future cooperation on combating cybercrime. The Ministry of Internal Affairs expressed its commitment to continuing work with the OSCE on this critical issue.
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“Cybercrime poses a growing risk across the region, including in Turkmenistan,” said Martha Stickings, Deputy Head of TNTD’s Strategic Police Matters Unit. “It is crucial that criminal justice practitioners have the skills they need to effectively investigate and prosecute these crimes in line with international best practice and human rights standards.”
Project Background
The training course was part of the OSCE’s extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia,” funded by the United States, Germany, and South Korea. The program aims to enhance regional cooperation and capacity-building efforts to combat cybercrime.
Upcoming Courses
This was the first national training event in Turkmenistan under the project, with two additional courses scheduled for the autumn of this year.