ISISC. In consultative status with the United Nations and the Council of Europe INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HIGHER STUDIES IN CRIMINAL SCIENCES

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1 ISISC In consultative status with the United Nations and the Council of Europe ISTITUTO SUPERIORE INTERNAZIONALE DI SCIENZE CRIMINALI INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HIGHER STUDIES IN CRIMINAL SCIENCES INSTITUT SUPERIEUR INTERNATIONAL DES SCIENCES CRIMINELLES Celebrazione Quarantennale Siracusa, 1 Dicembre 2012 Sotto l'alto Patronato del Presidente della Repubblica 1

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface Dedication PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES Afghanistan Iraq Albania Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) The Arab World Worldwide Project on Post Conflict Justice Global Projects to Combat Organized Crime Global Projects to Combat International Crime Contributions to the International Criminal Court National and Regional Activities Specialization Courses Collaborating Organizations Funding Sources Board of Directors Board of Auditors Administrative Staff International Fellowship Program

4 Regional Scientific Committee Publications VERSIONE ITALIANA Versione Italiana MESSAGES AND PICTURES Messages Pictorial History

5 Preface The International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences (ISISC) is an Italian not-forprofit foundation (ONLUS) established in 1972 by Presidential Decree for the purpose of education, training, and research in the fields of international and comparative criminal justice and human rights. ISISC is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) recognized by a Decree Law of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is a Category II UN NGO and one of the 18 specialized institutes affiliated with the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Program Network (PNI). Additionally, the Institute is an accredited NGO with the Council of Europe. ISISC is one of the world s largest specialized legal training institutes. Since its inception, ISISC has been a major contributor to developing more effective criminal justice systems worldwide, and in the strengthening of respect for human rights and the rule of law. Over the last 40 years, it has organized more than 490 training programs and expert s conferences, attended by 36,952 jurists from 165 countries, including over 5,000 academics from 518 universities. Its work includes collaborations with 41 Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs) - including the United Nations, the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the League of the Arab States, the Organization of American States, and specialized bodies such as UNODC, UNDP, OHCHR, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), numerous Italian and foreign governmental bodies, and 97 NGOs and civil society organizations worldwide. These activities have resulted in 143 published volumes of scholarly research, as well as conference proceedings relating to international criminal justice, comparative criminal law, human rights, and country-specific issues of criminal law, criminal procedure and human rights. These works have been published in Arabic, Dari, English, French, Italian and Spanish. ISISC s publications in Arabic are considered leading texts in the fields of human rights and international criminal law in the language. Given the limited resources of the Institute, it would not be immodest to say that these publications are an extraordinary feat. Among the Institute s most significant contributions are those which advanced international criminal law. In coordination with committees of experts from the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Police Office (Europol), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the December 2010, Siracusa (Italy) Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni, ISISC President, at the Inauguration of the New Seat of ISISC and Commemoration of Giuliano Vassalli 5

6 Basel Institute on Governance, to name but a few, ISISC has played a role in developing a number of international criminal law instruments. At the United Nations, these contributions have led to the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the United Nations Convention Against Torture and the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, among others. Internationally, ISISC has helped develop policy concerning witness protection and financial crimes. With regard to the establishment of the ICC, the Institute held 19 international conferences, seminars, and government expert meetings in Siracusa and abroad. These meetings produced a number of documents, including the Siracusa Draft, which was put before the United Nations Preparatory Committee in 1996, and fostered the process leading to the establishment of the International Criminal Court by the Diplomatic Conference held in Rome on 17 July Two of the three Chairmen of the Diplomatic Conference were members of the Institute s Board: Professor Giovanni Conso, President of the Conference, and Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni, President of the Drafting Committee. Subsequently, ISISC played an important role in the creation of the ICC s Rules of Procedure and Evidence. After the ICC became operational in 2002, ISISC continued to show its commitment to the improvement and development of the Court by contributing to its Capacity Strengthening Program. The Institute also played a central role in drafting international treaties. In 1977 a Committee of Experts met in Siracusa to prepare the Draft Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture, which was the preliminary text of the 1984 United Nations Convention against Torture. ISISC also contributed to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime ('Palermo Convention') which was signed in 2000, by participating in the negotiations held in Vienna, and as a consulting agency of the Italian Government. Subsequently, ISISC implemented an assistance program on the Palermo Convention for Central and Eastern European countries and for Arab countries. ISISC has also contributed to a number of other international instruments adopted by the United Nations, including: Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession; Principles on the Protection of the Rights of the Mentally Ill; Guiding Principles on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in the Context of Development; Model Treaty on the Transfer of Prisoners; Model Treaty on the Transfer of Criminal Proceedings; Model Treaty on Extradition; Model Treaty on Enforcement of Sentences. At the international level, the Institute has hosted a number of meetings of experts in cooperation with the Council of Europe in the field of crime prevention, criminal justice, and human rights. The most significant result of the cooperation with Europol is the elaboration of a 2005 draft on Minimum Requirements for Potential Legislation on Witness Protection at European Union Level, which was taken into consideration in the creation of the UNODC Manual on Good Practices for the Protection of Witnesses in Criminal Proceedings Involving Organized Crime. In cooperation with the IMF and with the Basel Institute on Governance, ISISC has organized a number of workshops 6

7 on combatting money laundering, financing terrorism, investigating corruption and recovering stolen assets for representatives of the Financial Investigation Units and the Public Prosecutor s Offices from Central Asian and Eastern European countries and from the MENA region. More generally, in 2007, ISISC undertook a research project entitled Fighting Impunity and Promoting International Justice. The project's objectives were to promote the development of an integrated approach to post-conflict justice and link interaction and domestic strategies to the evolving role of the International Criminal Court. The project s final publication aims to serve as a guide to assist the UN and governments in enhancing accountability and reducing impunity for international crimes. The Institute has also contributed to the development of more effective criminal justice systems, while at the same time strengthening respect for, and observance of, human rights. This has been accomplished by leading training seminars for government officials, judges, prosecutors, police officers, academics, and lawyers. The multiplier effect of these training seminars on the evolution of legal doctrine and humanistic legal thought in the participants home countries has been remarkable. In that context, it can be stated with satisfaction that the Institute s programs have had a major impact on the administration of criminal justice in the Arab World, Africa and the Balkans. Many of the 4,500 jurists from these countries who have participated in ISISC s educational programs have become prominent actors in government, the judiciary and academia, as well as leading activists in the international human rights movement. In their home countries these jurists have brought about improvements in the administration of criminal justice, thereby enhancing the respect for and application of the rule of law and human rights. Within these regions, the Institute has built up country-specific programs, the most significant of which are: Afghanistan, Iraq, Albania, Macedonia and Egypt. ISISC has been working in Afghanistan since 2003 as the implementing agency for the UN and the Italian Justice Initiative for Afghanistan. In that capacity, it has conducted 12 different technical assistance programs in rule of law, human rights, penitentiary reforms and counter narcotics. These programs involved 2,753 judges, prosecutors, lawyers, police officers and government officials. ISISC has worked in Iraq since 2002, organizing 12 technical assistance programs in human rights, rule of law and postconflict justice. Participants in these programs have included 725 Iraqi jurists, law enforcement Previous ISISC seat, from 1972 to

8 officials, justice operators and government officials, as well as 195 international experts. Between 1999 and 2012 ISISC lead four technical assistance programs in Albania focused on international cooperation in criminal matters, on the implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and on the cross border confiscation of crime proceeds. Participants included 208 Albanian judges, senior police officers and high government officials, and 56 international experts. In the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), ISISC conducted three technical assistance programs on organized crime and corruption involving 175 Italian and international experts and 725 Macedonian professionals mainly representatives from the prosecution, judiciary and law enforcement. In the Arab World, ISISC has worked with the judiciary, ministries of justice, interior and defense, and other government agencies of 16 Arab states since 1979, organizing six technical assistance programs and 25 conferences, training seminars and committees of experts on topics including human rights, international humanitarian law, international cooperation in penal matters and post-conflict justice. These programs involved 523 international experts and 3,631 participants, including law professors, journalists, government officers, magistrates, judges, prosecutors, high-ranking military justices, law enforcement officials and other justice operators. The magnitude and scope of this program makes this the largest rule of law program ever to be conducted in the Arab world. Because of its size and scope, the program ushered in a new era for the rule of law and human rights in the region by challenging cultures of power. With regard to education, the Institute provides post graduate instructional courses and specialization courses in international criminal law and European criminal law. Since 2003, ISISC has offered 10 Specialization Courses in International Criminal Law and two Specialization Courses in European Criminal Law which 628 young professionals have attended cumulatively. Each course consisted of nearly 15 working sessions with a final moot court competition based on real cases. In addition, as a result of an agreement signed in 2008 between the NATO School and ISISC, an annual seminar on Shari a Law and Military Operations is co-organized by the two institutions, addressing military officers, legal advisors, operational planners, and political and policy advisors. Domestically, the Institute has added to the Italian legal doctrine and legislation through scholarly activities and publications. These activities comprise advanced study seminars for Italian judges, which are conducted in collaboration with the Higher Council of the Judiciary (Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura - CSM), the National Association of Judges (Associazione Nazionale Magistrati - ANM), and the Italian Ministry of Justice; training seminars for professors of law; seminars, conferences and committees of experts on criminology and juridical psychology; and training courses on criminal law for PhD candidates, which are a result of cooperation agreements with several Italian Universities. In 2011, ISISC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CSM aimed at regularizing its cooperation with the Council. The Institute s national program has also been a catalyst for change, promoting a thorough examination of a number of Italian laws, including the Penal Code, and contributing to legal reforms in the current Italian Code of Criminal Procedure. In addition, ISISC helped develop new laws, in particular the Law on Decriminalization. It is worth mentioning that the Noto Charter (Carta di Noto), which is now widely recognized as the document setting out the rules for the 8

9 protection of children during criminal proceedings, was approved at an ISISC seminar held in 1996 in Noto (outside Siracusa). In 1980, ISISC organized the first of a series of programs designed to analyze issues of regional interest in order to make a scientific contribution to the Sicilian Region, which hosts and supports the Institute. Participants in these programs have included public officials, local and regional administrators, academics from Sicilian universities, judges, experts and other legal professionals. These workshops and seminars have covered the entire range of criminal justice studies. Beginning in 2000, some of these regional events were supported by ISISC s Regional Scientific Committee (Comitato Scientifico Regionale - CSR), an internal body that contributes to the scientific mandate of the Institute, mainly through the support given to the organization of scientific conferences in Sicily. On a personal note, as an educator, I take particular pride and pleasure in noting that young jurists, literally by the thousands, and from all over the world, have met in Siracusa. From these contacts, friendships have developed, as well as a better understanding of cultural diversity. While such contributions cannot be quantitatively assessed, their intellectual and moral impact is surely significant. Through these connections, future generations of university professors will continue their predecessors mission of disseminating the Institute s message of respect for the rule of law and human rights, and for values of universal humanism. In that respect, the Institute is contributing to the advancement of our pluralistic civilization. It has been my privilege to stand among the architects of these accomplishments, but I hasten to add that such success would not have been possible without the cooperation of several colleagues and friends who, like me, have voluntarily dedicated their time and effort to the Institute's work. The dedication of these colleagues, of the members of the Board of Directors, and of the staff of the Institute has been essential to its life and to its achievements. Our successors will, therefore, be the heirs to a proud legacy. Finally, the presence and activities of the Institute in Siracusa and in Sicily have symbolic significance. The beautiful city of Siracusa, with its ancient culture radiating from the center of the Mediterranean, has for 40 years been the host city of this Institute, which likewise spread the culture of legality and the protection of human rights all over the world. In an emblematic gesture, the city of Siracusa has proclaimed itself to be a city of peace and human rights. It is a motto that is reflected in the Institute's work, affirming our conviction that peace and justice are indivisible: there can be no peace without justice, and no justice without peace. President M. Cherif Bassiouni 9

10 In memory of the judges and other personalities who were a part of the life of ISISC, and who lost their lives while performing their duties In memoria dei magistrati e delle personalità che hanno fatto parte della vita dell ISISC e che hanno perso la vita nello svolgimento delle loro funzioni Vittorio Bachelet Paolo Borsellino Luigi Daga Giovanni Falcone Piersanti Mattarella Pietro Scaglione Girolamo Tartaglione and in memory of the personalities who contributed to the life and activities of ISISC. e in memoria delle personalità che hanno contribuito alla vita e alle attività dell ISISC. Marc Ancel Salvatore Ardizzone Adolfo Beria di Argentine Pierre Bouzat Giuseppe Caruso Carlo Erra Giuseppe La Rosa Gerhard O. W. Mueller Gian Domenico Pisapia Antonio Salibra Giuliano Vassalli *** A special thanks to the many who have contributed and still contribute to the life and activities of ISISC. Un affettuoso ringraziamento a coloro che hanno contribuito e tuttora contribuiscono alla vita e alle attività dell ISISC. Giovanni Conso Antonino De Benedictis Luisella De Cataldo Neuburger Josè Luis de la Cuesta Giuseppe Di Gennaro Sebastiano Ferla Alì Hekmat Giuseppe Larosa Reynald Ottenhof Ettore Randazzo Paolo Reale Santo Reale Alfonso Stile Jean Francois Thony Giovanni Tinebra 10

11 Certificate of Incorporation of ISISC (signed on 19 February 1973) 11

12 12 Decree of the President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone recognizing the legal status of ISISC (issued on 16 May 1980)

13 January 1969, Villa Politi - Siracusa (Italy) H.E. Giovanni Leone, President of the Italian Republic, at the Pre-Congress of the 10th International Congress on Penal Law of the AIDP (Rome, 1969). It was at this meeting in Siracusa that the AIDP, represented by its then President Pierre Bouzat and its Deputy Secretary-General M. Cherif Bassiouni, and Siracusa officials discussed the establishment of the Institute 13

14 Programs and Activities 14

15 Afghanistan (2003 to 2011) ISISC was present in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2011 as the implementing agency for the UN for the Italian Justice Initiative for Afghanistan. In that capacity, it conducted 12 different technical assistance programs in rule of law, human rights, penitentiary reforms and counter narcotics. These programs involved 2,753 Justice Sector Individuals who are judges, prosecutors, lawyers, police officers and government officials. More significantly it is one of the few organizations which has worked in 19 different Provinces and contributed to the creation of a Criminal Justice Monitoring Network. One of the results of these programs has been the issuing of 12 publications, eight of which are in Dari. These technical assistance programs were conducted in cooperation and with the financial support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United Kingdom Foreign Office, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). From , ISISC, along with IDLO, carried out an Italian Justice Initiative program in Afghanistan, which was the first judicial training program and involved 457 judges. ISISC addressed criminal justice issues and IDLO civil and commercial ones. ISISC is one of the few NGO s which has provided continuous training and technical assistance in Afghanistan since Its wide ranging programs, particularly in the provincial areas, have earned positive recognition from the country s highest ranking officials - judges, prosecutors, prison officials, and police officers. The Institute was committed to working with Afghans to enforce international human rights norms and the rule of law. ISISC s work in Afghanistan was directed from its main office in Siracusa, Italy, and from its field office in Kabul. ISISC s primary in-country activities have been: Training judges, prosecutors, police officers, government officials and other legal professionals in various aspects of law; July 2004, Kabul (Afghanistan) Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni, ISISC President, with Pres. Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan 15

16 Supporting the process to strengthen the role of legal institutions; Encouraging the adoption of a more comprehensive approach to ensure that the rule of law becomes a vital component of the national reconstruction processes. ISISC s capacity-building programs have included 2,753 members of the Afghan judiciary, the Prosecutor s Office, and law enforcement agencies. ISISC has also developed other rule of law initiatives in Afghanistan s criminal justice and anti-narcotics sectors, particularly in the provinces. Because of its team of Afghani trainers, ISISC is the lead NGO having worked in the provinces in the justice sector. It has provided training and other justice-related programs in 19 of the country s 34 provinces. ISISC has helped to address some of the biggest challenges facing Afghan society, including: Combating corruption; Strengthening and reinforcing legal institutions; Enhancing a culture of legality. Afghanistan was in a unique position to take advantage of new opportunities for national reconstruction. Despite the country s encouraging democratic advancements in recent years, the political transition still required sustained efforts in the areas of social, economic and political development programs, not least because of continued Taliban influence. The implementation of a comprehensive domestic policy to strengthen the rule of law and to protect human rights was sorely needed. ISISC has worked to help facilitate the acceptance and use of a formal legal system, recognizable internationally. Despite this, in 2011, after more than nine years of continuous work in Afghanistan, the Institute decided to suspend all its activities in this martyred country. This decision was made for reasons related to the instability of the internal political scene in Afghanistan, mainly because of the dangerous security conditions: in fact, having personnel on the ground in Kabul and in the other Afghan Provinces was considered unsafe Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni, ISISC President, with President Faisal Ahmad Shinwari, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan

17 AFGHANISTAN FACTS A landlocked nation sharing over 5,000 km of border with China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. One of the world s poorest countries, ranking 174th out of 178 countries on the 2008 UN Human Development Index, placing it far behind all of its regional neighbors. The world s largest producer of opium. Poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate roughly $3 billion in illicit economic activity. Estimated population of 32 million, almost half of whom are under 18 years old. Nearly 50% of the population speaks Dari, 35% speak Pashtu, 11% speak Turkic languages, and 4% speak minor languages. About 80% of Afghans are Sunni Muslims. The rest are Shi a Muslims and a few are members of other Muslim sects. Despite a population of over 32 million, fewer than four million live in and around the capital city of Kabul, yet many of the NGOs working on justice sector reform focus almost entirely on Kabul and a few other provinces. ISISC instead covered all of the provinces for training in the Code of Criminal Procedure through the PJI. July 2004, Kabul (Afghanistan) - Judge Khaled Ghanem, ISISC Resident Representative in Kabul, and Prof. Pashir Fazly, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law and Shari a, Kabul University 17

18 Technical Assistance and Training Programs ISISC Methodology: Training-of-Trainers ISISC s first priority in Afghanistan in 2003 was to develop a Training-of-Trainers program to ensure a sustainable constituency independent of outside assistance. The Training-of-Trainers program used international experts to prepare a group of highly qualified Afghan academics and jurists to become the primary trainers of other Afghans in the justice sector. The international trainers were judges, prosecutors, and academics with backgrounds in Islamic law, international law, comparative criminal law and human rights. These experts were chosen to lead the training process because much of the Afghan legal system is based on Egyptian law and is rooted in Islamic law (Shari a), hence the need for broader legal knowledge. This Afghan-to-Afghan mode of administering ISISC s projects has ensured the success and credibility of ISISC s capacity-building programs in the justice sector. Interim Training Program for the Afghan Judiciary From July 2003 through December 2004, ISISC, in cooperation with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and the Afghan Judicial Reform Commission, organized and implemented the Interim Training Program for the Afghan Judiciary, which involved 150 justice sector individuals from Kabul and 307 from the Afghan Provinces. IDLO provided training on civil and commercial subjects, and ISISC covered subjects of criminal justice and human rights. The Interim Training Program was developed in collaboration with the Afghan Judicial Reform Commission (JRC), which represents the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Office of the Attorney General. The program also benefited from the support of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UNDP and UNODC. The Interim Training Program provided training and capacity-building assistance for 457 judges, among whom were 52 women. The participants were selected by the JRC and the Afghan Supreme Court and represented all regions, ethnicities and educational backgrounds. The July 2003, Kabul (Afghanistan) - From the left: Dr. Riccardo Shedid, Administrative Representative, IDLO; H.E. Abdullah Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan; Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni, ISISC President; H.E. Abdul Rahim Karimi, Minister of Justice of Afghanistan; Ambassador Domenico Giorgi, Italian Ambassador in Afghanistan; and Justice Giuseppe di Gennaro, Coordinator of the Justice Programs in Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, at the official inauguration of the Interim Training for the Afghan Judiciary 18

19 program provided 300 hours of instruction in Kabul over 16 months. Program trainers included Egyptian judges, prosecutors and academics with a background in Islamic law, international law, comparative criminal law, and human rights. Lectures were presented in Arabic and simultaneously translated into Dari. Training methods included lectures, discussions, moot courts, legal writing seminars, and special courses on financial management and administrative matters relating to the judiciary. Training Course on the Interim Criminal Procedure Code In 2004, Justice Giuseppe di Gennaro, Coordinator of the Justice Programs in Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy and long-time member of ISISC s Board of Directors, developed the new Interim Criminal Procedure Code. Immediately after the approval of the Code the Italian Justice Program Office (IJPO) selected ISISC to train 120 Afghan judges, prosecutors, police officers, law professors, and Ministry of Justice officials. In April 2004, ISISC undertook a training course on the Interim Criminal Procedure Code designed to create a diverse, qualified group of Afghan legal professionals who could, in turn, provide training to their colleagues on the code throughout the country. ISISC worked with the Italian Justice Office in Kabul to develop the training course, held at Kabul University. The four-week program was attended by 120 Afghan judges, prosecutors, police officers, law professors and Ministry of Justice officials. The methodology consisted of lectures, discussions, and general evaluation of the new code with participatory and practical exercises, including mock trials and case studies, and became an integral part of the Institute s continuing activities, particularly in the Provincial Justice Initiative. The Provincial Justice Initiative (PJI) The Provincial Justice Initiative (PJI) began in December 2004 and the last training activity was conducted in February The Initiative was developed to train Afghan justice sector actors on July 2004, Siracusa (Italy) - In this picture: Prof. M. Cherif Bassiouni, ISISC President; Judge Hatem Fouad, ISISC Resident Representative in Afghanistan; Justice Giuseppe di Gennaro, Coordinator of the Justice Programs in Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy; Giovanni Pasqua, ISISC Scientific Director; Fazil Ahmed Manawi, Deputy Chairman of the Afghan Supreme Court; Mr. Gul Ahmad; Mr. Nasrullah Abdul Hamied; Prof. Abdul Latif; Judge Mohammad Rokey; Judge Abdul Moneer; Judge Mohammad Soleiman; Prosecutor Quayoom Nzami; Prosecutor Aziz Ahmed; Judge Nasrin Dost Mohammed; Judge Floran Ahaji Nasrula; Judge Huma Ali Mohammad; Magistrate Fahima Rahimi; and Mr. Abdul Bassit Hotak, ISISC National Program Officer, at the study tour at ISISC headquarters of the Afghan participants to the Interim Training for Afghan Judiciary 19

20 theoretical and practical aspects of fundamental criminal justice topics. Within the Initiative 970 justice sector actors were involved and 19 Afghan Provinces reached. A total number of 27 training seminars were conducted by ISISC. In mid-2003, ISISC started training courses and Training-of-Trainers for approximately 600 justice sector officials. A year later, by mid-2004, 15 Afghan instructors were fully trained and ready to begin conducting training programs. The Provincial Justice Initiative (PJI) was developed with the support of and in cooperation with other programs of the Italian Justice Office in Kabul to jointly train judges, prosecutors, and police officers. In this way, participants could better understand and appreciate the respective roles that each professional category plays in the criminal justice system. Joint training also allowed judges, prosecutors and police officers to build relationships that could facilitate future cooperation. The PJI was unique in that, since December 2004, it was completely carried out by highly qualified Afghan trainers who were themselves trained by ISISC. This allowed for the services provided by the program to be sustained as planned, even as international funding dissipated. PJI was a technical training program developed after several years of work in Afghanistan based on consultation with officials of the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior and the Attorney General s office. PJI trainings combined lectures with group discussions, moot court exercises and case studies. During the three-and-a-half week training, the PJI covered theoretical and practical aspects of fundamental criminal justice topics, including: Afghan Constitution; Criminal Code; Interim Criminal Procedural Code; Juvenile Code; Law on Prisons and Detention Centers; 20 September 2008, Kabul (Afghanistan) In this picture: Mr. Nehad El Gamal, ISISC Resident Representative; and Ms. Christina Oguz, former UNODC Country Representative in Afghanistan, with the participants to the Closing Ceremony of the Ghor Provincial Central Training, Provincial Justice Initiative in Afghanistan