News
Cryptocurrencies workshop held in Jericho
Crime linked to cryptocurrencies is on the rise world-wide and digital assets are increasingly used in criminal activity. For investigators, understanding how cryptocurrencies work is becoming essential for identifying and investigating modern crime. Responding to a request from the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) on the need to enhance skills in dealing with cryptocurrencies investigations, identified as a priority, EUPOL COPPS delivered a series of weekly sessions on cryptocurrencies at the Jericho District Headquarters. The first module of the specialised training on “Basics of Cryptocurrencies” was completed on 14 April and focused on the fundamental concepts of cryptocurrencies and their functioning. For the purpose, a joint, co-creation approach was adopted, bringing together EUPOL COPPS advisers and investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Family Protection and Juvenile Department (FJPD), and the Investigations Department, to collaboratively design and build the training content. EUPOL COPPS remains committed to continuing this initiative, with advanced and practical modules scheduled for the near future. In addition to the investigators with whom we prepared the first module of the crypto training, the Head of the Investigation Unit and the Head of the FJPD Unit were also present. As mentioned, this was the first module in a planned series, with further sessions to follow. EUPOL COPPS advisors will continue the work already next week.
EUPOL COPPS provides protective gear to Palestinian Police in Bethlehem
The Palestinian Civil Police’s (PCP) Environmental Crime Unit in Bethlehem received new protective gear from EUPOL COPPS, which will enable it to fight environmental crimes more safely and effectively. The new gear, delivered on 15th April to Palestinian Civil Police, included safety glasses and protective gloves . These may seem like simple tools, but for investigators who deal with hazardous substances, solid waste, and polluted soil, this delivery is a necessity. The equipment shields officers from cuts, punctures, and chemical exposure while they collect evidence at crime scenes. The Environmental Crime Units, which operate under the Tourism and Antiquities Police Department, are active in all 11 districts of the West Bank. The main goal of these units is to build a strong case against environmental offenders, often in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority’s Environment Quality Authority. Although EUPOL COPPS donated advanced equipment before, they still face problems in documenting environmental crimes. The initiative reflects a growing recognition that environmental protection is not a luxury but a necessity in the West Bank. The Police District Commander appreciated the timely handover of protection equipment, particularly needed in the current challenging situation for Palestine and the whole region.
EUPOL COPPS provides protective gear to Palestinian Police
The Palestinian Civil Police’s (PCP) Environmental Crime Units received new protective gear from EUPOL COPPS, which will enable them to fight environmental crimes more safely and effectively. The new gear, delivered on 7th April to Palestinian Civil Police, included safety glasses and protective gloves. These may seem like simple tools, but for investigators who deal with hazardous substances, solid waste, and polluted soil, this delivery is a necessity. The equipment shields officers from cuts, punctures, and chemical exposure while they collect evidence at crime scenes. The Environmental Crime Units, which operate under the Tourism and Antiquities Police Department, are active in all 11 districts of the West Bank. The main goal of these units is to build a strong case against environmental offenders, often in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority’s Environment Quality Authority. Although EUPOL COPPS donated advanced equipment before, they still face problems in documenting environmental crimes. The initiative reflects a growing recognition that environmental protection is not a luxury but a necessity in the West Bank.
EUPOL COPPS leads workshop to boost Palestinian Police training on Family Protection
To build Family and Juvenile Protection Department’s (FJPD), institutional capacity and to ensure a more survivor-centred and rights-based approach to domestic and gender-based violence, EUPOL COPPS conducted a workshop from 30 to 31 March in Ramallah. The event brought together a working group of seven FJPD members to ensure that the training programme is relevant, applicable, and meets the needs of the department. This workshop aims to strengthen coordination with other Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) departments and other relevant stakeholders in family protection and juvenile justice. The workshop participants engaged in an active and insightful discussion covering a wide range of topics, including understanding victimisation in context, trauma‑informed investigation, suicide risk assessment, reporting and documentation, cybercrime, field response and inter‑agency referral, as well as practical exercises and evaluation. In her opening remarks, Khawlah Fadlallah, the head of FJPD, thanked EUPOL COPPS for facilitating the workshop in these difficult circumstances in the region. She highlighted the importance of investing in training to ensure that police officers can respond to vulnerable groups. The active and positive participation and contributions to the workshop proceedings by FJPD were a testament to the department’s commitment to family protection and juvenile justice. The workshop will continue to ensure that the training curriculum is refined, creating an opportunity for a comprehensive training programme to ensure that the department can provide a more rights-based and survivor-centred response to those who need it most.
EUPOL COPPS wraps up four month effort to strengthen judicial decision enforcement across Palestine
The enforcement of judicial decisions plays an essential role in protecting people’s rights and freedoms. To support the efficiency of the Palestinian judicial system, EUPOL COPPS conducted a third workshop on the challenges of enforcing judicial decisions, on 16 February in Bethlehem. The Palestinian Civil Police (PCP), the Palestinian Prosecutor’s Office, the Courts and the Ministry of Justice attended the workshop, aiming at strengthening cooperation and address obstacles and gaps faced during judicial decisions enforcement. The attendees were from Bethlehem and also from other areas in the southern part of the West Bank, namely Hebron, Yatta, and Doura. The Bethlehem workshop marked the conclusion of a EUPOL COPPS four-month programme dedicated to improving the enforcement of judicial decisions in all Palestinian districts. This programme ensured comprehensive geographic outreach and consistent engagement with stakeholders across the justice chain.
Promoting rule of law, stability, and trust within the Palestinian society
To strengthen cooperation, communication and deepening mutual understanding among key stakeholders on district level in Palestine, primarily the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP), the Justice institutions, First Instance Courts, Public Prosecutors offices, and the Palestinian Bar Association (PBA), EUPOL COPPS organised the “Building Bridges in Jenin, Tubas, Qalqilya and Tulkarm”, a strategic initiative in the northern West Bank district of Jenin on 10-12 February. Together, these actors represent the whole criminal justice chain and play a vital role in promoting rule of law, stability, trust, and community cohesion. The Building Bridges event aimed at enhancing transparency and strengthening public trust, in compliance with human rights and gender sensitivity principles. In her opening remarks, EUPOL COPPS Head of Mission, Karin Limdal, stressed about the vital role played by the initiative’s participants in promoting rule of law, stability, trust, community cohesion and welfare in Palestine. “Building Bridges” reflects the EU’s commitment to fostering stability, transparency, and community engagement in Palestine, said the HoM. Over three days activities, the participants addressed several topics central to their work, including fighting case backlog in justice institutions and challenges in police-prosecution-courts-lawyers cooperation, debated on lessons learned and exchanged experienced on Palestinian and international standards on how to manage backlog problems in police, prosecution and courts. Other key topics of the initiative included challenges during the investigation phase and the issue of detention of individuals for financial debts, workflow and division of responsibilities within the courts, enhancement of cooperation among PCP investigation units, and adherence to human rights standards during arrests and investigations, including the prohibition of torture. The initiative outcomes included recommendations and deeper insights into meaningful and practical cooperation tools among the participating stakeholders. Practical solutions and developing a set of recommendations were developed.
Enhancing trust-building between the Palestinian Civil Police and the society
A key aspect of community policing activities is to contribute to building positive relations among state’s security sector, and societies. In Palestine this is in in line with governmental efforts to enable the society to be a partner in achieving security. Palestinian Community Councils represent the society in every police district and are composed of members of the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP), society representatives, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Within this structure, district executive councils consist of the Chief of the police station (head council), the heads of police departments, and Civil Police officers. To further enhance cooperation between the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) with social representatives, NGOs and CSO’s, EUPOL COPPS organised a workshop focusing on Palestinian Community Council Awareness. Such cooperation is of crucial importance in a wide range of areas, for example on anti-corruption initiatives, and reconciliation processes, gender equality, social inclusion, and environmentally sustainable practices. Among the main outcomes of the activity is PCP’s enhanced ability to effectively work with the members of each community council and to be more responsive to local needs.
Supporting Palestinian institutional reform on criminal justice and Rule of Law
The ongoing detention of individuals for financial debts is an issue that needs addressing within the Palestinian legal system, especially as Palestine abides to a wide international treaties and conventions, particularly those related to human rights and the right to a fair trial. Since challenges persist despite the existence of national legal provisions that limit the detention of individuals for financial debts, EUPOL COPPS organised a roundtable discussion to facilitate institutional dialogue on this issue on 4 February, in Ramallah. The event, held at EUPOL COPPS premises, brought together senior representatives of key criminal justice institutions such as the High Judicial Council, the Public Prosecution, the Palestinian Civil Police and the Palestinian Bar Association. The aim was to engage in an institutional dialogue, identify challenges in the application of the legal framework, and formulate practical recommendations and an action plan in line with the applicable Palestinian legislation. The detention of debtors, which has soared amidst the financial crisis of the Palestinian Authority, disrupts business activity and negatively affects economic growth. The participants agreed that the issue requires further discussion to identify practical solutions that can help balance citizens’ rights and responsibilities within society.
Addressing challenges on enforcing judicial decision in Palestine
When court decisions are not enforced, the authority and credibility of the judicial system can be undermined, and citizens can lose confidence in the justice system. Strengthening the enforcement of judicial decisions is therefore essential to ensuring justice is delivered and public confidence in the legal system. To further enhance the efficiency of the Palestinian judicial system, EUPOLCOPPS conducted a second workshop on challenges in the enforcement of judicial decisions, on 26 January in Nablus. Key stakeholders such as the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP), the Palestinian Prosecutor’s Office, the Courts and the Ministry of Justice attended the workshop. The discussions focused on ongoing challenges for effective enforcement of judicial decisions. Among factors contributing to the current challenges, the participants identified restriction of movements in the West Bank, lack of effective digital linkage, limited financial and human resourcesand weak inter-institutional coordination This workshop was part of a series held across Palestinian districts and aimed to bring together key judicial actors including representatives from the Attorney General’s Office and the High Judicial Council, for open and constructive dialogue. The outcome of this second workshop was to strengthen cooperation between stakeholders and to address obstacles and gaps faced when enforcing judicial decisions.
Building up on Palestinian Civil Police improved skills enhancement
To further enhance the professional capacities of Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) officers on strategic, legal, operational skills and promoting human rights–based policing, EUPOL COPPS launched a comprehensive workshop at the Nablus Police District on 21 January. The activity will be concluded on 22 January. The workshop focuses on strategic planning, management skills, legal background on police work, practical case study on managing the crime scene, Human rights mainstreaming, cybercrime, Community Policing and Information Led Policing (ILP). EUPOL COPPS Family and Juvenile Protection advisers shared their experience on how to work to work with vulnerable groups. Tomorrow the focus will be on Community Policing. The workshop is attended by PCP officers from several specialised departments, including anti-narcotics, traffic, correction and rehabilitation centres, judicial police, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), logistics, media, antiquities, family and juvenile protection, community policing, human rights, training, and legal units. Participants engaged today in discussions, which will continue tomorrow, addressing challenges encountered in their day-to-day work, such as mobility restrictions, inadequacies in shelter facilities, and the need for enhanced electronic systems and coordination mechanisms. These exchanges enabled EUPOL COPPS to gain a deeper understanding of the local policing context in Nablus, ensuring that future training and support activities can be better tailored to operational needs. This event is part of a series of workshops that the Mission conducted in the districts of Bethlehem, Jericho, Salfit Hebron and Nablus.