News
Palestinian police officers receive cyber awareness training
In this increasingly connected world, police officers need to ensure they are prepared to handle the growing challenges of digital crimes like hacking, phishing, cyberbullying and ransom. To deal with cybercriminals, who constantly adapt their methods, EUPOL COPPS Cybercrime Adviser delivered a training for seven Palestinian police officers from the Family and Juvenile Protection Department (FJPD) on 13 May in Ramallah. The police officers are the first responders to receive different kinds of requests to report about cyber threats. This training provided them with the skills and latest techniques to respond to these crimes effectively, often in collaboration with specialised cybercrime units. The training also aimed to help the participants – four female police officers and three males – to prepare a comprehensive detailed report.
Palestinian courts step up efforts to combat forgery and counterfeiting
Courts rely on the authenticity and integrity of documents and evidence to deliver fair and just decisions. If forgery goes undetected, it can lead to miscarriages of justice, wrongful rulings, and loss of public trust in the legal system. Supported by EUPOL COPPS, the Palestinian Judicial Institute (PJI) organised a specialised training on Detecting Forgery and Counterfeiting and Examining Documents and Records for 15 court employees from the Higher Judicial Council on 12-13 May in Ramallah. The aim of the training was to enhance the participants' knowledge and to provide practical skills in detecting forgery and counterfeiting through a comprehensive scientific curriculum. The practical training covered many topics such recognition of fraudulent documents, identifying security marks, clear guidelines on how to handle suspicious documents, signature forgery, manipulation of digital documents and counterfeit currency. The training was delivered by Major Dunya Abdel Raouf Atayneh from the Forgery and Counterfeiting Detection Department of the Criminal Evidence Department of the Palestinian Civil Police, a certified expert in handwriting and signature examination and document forgery detection.
EUPOL COPPS Head of Mission meets with Palestinian Minister of Justice
“Our team will continue providing support to establishing an inclusive and participatory legislative process within the Government” said EUPOL COPPS’s Head of Mission (HoM), Karin Limdal, to the Palestinian Minister of Justice (MoJ), Sharhabeel Alzaeem, during a meeting held in Ramallah on 13 May. The recent Council of Minister’s decision that was issued on 30 April on organizing the procedures to develop legislation was highlighted during the meeting. HoM emphasized the importance of the Mission’s efforts, together with the Ministry, and other local counterparts in achieving this remarkable milestone. Key legislative initiatives such as Correction and Rehabilitation Centers Law, Family Protection Bill, Cyber Security Law in addition to the manual of the Harmonization Committee were also discussed during the meeting as well as the support of the Mission, together with other international counterparts, in assisting the MoJ to develop the draft plan for the restitution of the services in Gaza after the war. The Minister stressed the importance of supporting alternative dispute resolution programs, which are a key component and support for the judicial system in Palestine. Furthermore, the assistance of the Mission to the Ministry in different areas was highly appreciated.
EUPOL COPPS supports Supreme Constitutional Court in developing Palestinian Judiciary
To reflect on the past nine years since its establishment, the Palestinian Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC), supported by EUPOL COPPS, held a symposium to underline its role in protecting fundamental rights and in ensuring the separation of powers between the different branches of government. The meeting, which was inaugurated by the President of the SCC and the Head of the Justice Section at EUPOL COPPS, was held in Ramallah on 07-08 of May. The symposium was attended by the SCC judges and offered a platform for discussions on the future roadmap for its work. The SCC is key in ensuring that laws and actions of the government comply with the constitution. It safeguards citizens’ constitutional rights and freedoms, and it prevents abuse of power, ensuring that all government actions remain within constitutional boundaries.
Palestinian prison guards receive First Aid training
Correction and Rehabilitation Centres are usually classified as a high-risk environment where accidents, self-harm and medical emergencies are common. First aid-trained guards can stabilise a situation before the arrival of paramedics, potentially saving lives. EUPOL COPPS Penitentiary Advisers organised a comprehensive First Aid training programme for nine male and female police officers working in Bethlehem Detention Cells, the city’s Correction and Rehabilitation Centre (CRC) and other Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) units in the district. The training was held in the Bethlehem from 04-07 May. The Bethlehem detention facility, already overcrowded, is short of qualified health professionals and police officers running the CRC who would be capable of dealing with lifesaving measures. During the four-day event, the CRC officers were trained by professional paramedics from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society on several topics related to cardiac arrest, air way, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) -- an emergency treatment that's done when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped -- control of bleeding and wounds. The paramedics also demonstrated how to handle different scenarios, for example how to treat inmates on wound care, choking response, managing shock, and how to apply bandages. The training included contributions from the Independent Committee for Human Rights where they highlighted the rights of individuals in incarceration and the duties of guards ensuring respect for human rights. EUPOL COPPS Advisers emphasised that the inmates have a right to basic healthcare, including emergency assistance. They also reiterated that well-trained staff help uphold international human rights standards and reduce liability for neglect or inadequate care.
EUPOL COPPS supports Palestinian Civil society & Police’s networking to boost community policing
The Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) is reaching out to the public and to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to identify, prevent and solve problems. This mechanism is called Community Policing, which relies on gaining trust of the public and enhancing safety. EUPOL COPPS Community Policing advisers organised a workshop that brought together representatives from CSOs and Community Policing on 06 – 07 May, in Ramallah. The aim of such a gathering is to establish and strengthen sustainable structural linkages between the PCP And CSO’s and other society representatives, to foster collaboration across all police administrations within the PCP in all Palestinian districts to enhance understanding and implementation of Community Policing principles. During the first day of the workshop, EUPOL COPPS advisers delivered a general overview of all the aspects involving Community Policing. On the last day of the event, the parties presented scenarios and problem-solving collaborations in the field of crime prevention and recurring problems in society.
EUPOL COPPS key for the launch of the first Female Palestinian Prosecution Network
An equal participation of men and women in leading positions increases the public’s trust in the judiciary and contributes to the achievement of a more just rule of law. Therefore, over the last three years, EUPOL COPPS has been working with Palestinian Attorney General Office (AGO) to facilitate and support the creation of a Female Prosecution Network. An official launch ceremony took place in Ramallah on 29 April. The objective of the Female Palestinian Prosecution Network (FPN) is to achieve women empowerment. Addressing structural barriers in order to increase women’s advancement in leadership positions, cooperation with regional and international counterparts to exchange expertise and promote knowledge sharing. EUPOL COPPS Head of Mission, Karin Limdal, and the Palestinian Attorney General, Akram Hassan Al-Khateeb, were present for the official kick-off of the FPN. EUPOL COPPS strong and ongoing support of Gender Equality and the empowerment of women in Palestine was underlined by Karin Limdal, who is “convinced that the active participation and leadership of women are essential in building a fair, and resilient justice sector”. The AGO’s appreciation for the Mission’s efforts was conveyed to the HoM. In addition, the AGO, commended the efforts of the female prosecutors, particularly considering their difficult working conditions, and stressed how the newly established network contributes to their professional and personal development.EUPOL COPPS is fully dedicated to the inclusion of human rights as well as in advancing gender equality and ensures this by systematically integrating a gender perspective in all of its activities, both within the Mission and while working with our Palestinian counterparts.
Building bridges between civil police and society for the good of the Palestinian people. EUPOL COPPS pilot project kicks off in Bethlehem district
Community policing within police forces is not a specific skill. It is a concept, a strategy and a philosophy making sense of the very reason for a police force to exist: to serve the communities, to make societies more resilient, to contribute to the effectiveness of the rule of law in an inclusive way, to build trust between the public and the state institutions. This is true in Palestine, and in the EU. The latest Community Policing workshop EUPOL COPPS organised in Bethlehem on 23-24 April, is part of a pilot project that brings together deputy heads of departments of the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) from several Bethlehem districts, representatives of Palestinian Civil Societies Organisations (CSOs), such as Human Rights and Democracy Media Centers (SHAMS), the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), the Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center (Wi'am), Palestinian Ministries such as Social Affairs, Women’s Studie Center, Women of the Sun Organization and Sawsana. The overall aim of the project is to support the PCP enhancing their cooperation with civil society, in a structural and sustainable way. The activities included discussions on exchanges of experiences and best practices between Palestinian PCP officers and EUPOL COPPS colleagues from The Netherlands and Portugal, international standards and traditional versus modern police strategies. The role of CSOs as a main contributor in mediation and advocacy for Human Rights and Gender issues in societies constitutes a key aspect of the project. Individual and group activities included simulations on how to consult with and mobilise communities and how to respond to community problems. The workshop focused on what PCP and CSO’s have in common instead of what can divide them, reinforcing essential bridges and cooperation. If you want to go faster go alone. If you want to go far you need to work together. The African proverb used by Nobel Prize Nelson Mandela was quoted at the workshop, summarising the spirit and approach inspiring Community Policing, when done correctly.
EUPOL COPPS enhances lawyers’ skills on using international standards in written and oral Advocacy
International standards on written and oral advocacy are key instruments for lawyers to ensure consistency, professionalism, and effectiveness. The goal of these standards is to ensure justice is served in a transparent and impartial manner, thus protecting the rights of both the accused and the public. To further enhance the skills of the Palestinian legal practitioners in using international standards, particularly those included in the International Bill of Human Rights, in their oral and written advocacy before national criminal courts, EUPOL COPPS organised a three-day workshop for 25 Palestinian lawyers 9 females), starting on 24 April in Ramallah. The workshop, delivered by a veteran practicing lawyer and former Judge, Ahmad Ashqar, included a presentation on how to use the international agreements in the Palestinian domestic legal system. During the workshop, Mr. Ashqar tackled also topics such as strengthening the ability of lawyers to address issues related to the incompatibility of Palestinian domestic legislation with international standards; developing the skills of lawyers in applying the necessary international standards in judicial practice, familiarising lawyers on international law and the rulings of the Palestinian Constitutional Court on the superiority of international agreements over national legislation through the review of international and regional judicial applications. The workshop included an overview of how Sweden incorporates international standards and agreements into its domestic courts, serving as an example within the EU.
EUPOL COPPS provides Train-the Trainer programme for Palestinian Police on accountability and integrity violations
This Train-the-Trainer programme aims to provide participants with the didactic skills and tools to develop and deliver effective, interactive training sessions using digital tools such as PowerPoint. Several topics were discussed during the training session for eight internal investigators from eight different districts/units of the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP), such as teaching skills, as well as the use of PowerPoint for training purposes. The training took place at EUPOL COPPS’ office in Ramallah on 15 April. At the end of the training, participants will be able to independently develop and conduct a workshop or training session aimed at preventing accountability - and integrity violations. The participants were very active, willing to learn and share insights. They now possess the necessary tools to deliver training sessions to other fellow colleagues, said Daniel Hoofdman, EUPOL COPPS Senior Police Adviser on Accountability.