On 14 February 2025, the IIJ, with the generous support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and valuable contributions from the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI) and the Embassy of France in Japan, organised a Central Asian Counterterrorism Workshop in Tokyo on Building Cooperation and Coordination to Promote the Rule of Law.
The workshop brought together criminal justice practitioners and policymakers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to exchange real-life case studies, good practices, and comparative perspectives on foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) defendants’ repatriation, domestic prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration.
The IIJ’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Steven Hill, opened the workshop alongside Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Hisayuki Fujii, Mr. Koichi Warisawa, Director of the International Safety and Security Cooperation Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Mr. Romain Rideau, Political Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Japan, representing H.E. Philippe Setton, Ambassador of France to Japan.
The discussions centred on raising awareness of the importance of repatriating and prosecuting FTFs domestically, along with the associated legal implications and operational challenges; sharing best practices on the investigation, prosecution, adjudication, and post-conviction management of FTFs; and fostering collaboration among criminal justice practitioners and policymakers in the region to facilitate information sharing, mutual legal assistance, and cross-border joint investigative mechanisms.
Participants demonstrated an exceptional level of engagement throughout the event. They actively exchanged their experiences, forged valuable connections, and identified persistent knowledge gaps and emerging needs.
This successful program positions the IIJ to establish a lasting community of practice in Central Asia and to help ensure the consistent application of the rule of law in the challenging yet crucial context of repatriating, prosecuting, and adjudicating FTFs in this important region.