MINSK, 11 May (BelTA) – The focus of cooperation in security affairs in the Commonwealth of Independent States has shifted towards fight against terrorism and extremism, BelTA learned from Konysbek Zhusupbekov, Deputy Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, CIS Deputy Executive Secretary, in his speech during the latest session of the CIS Council of chiefs of penitentiary services in Minsk.
Konysbek Zhusupbekov remarked that security and crime control are priority avenues of cooperation between the CIS states. The entire potential of the relevant agencies in the CIS states is used to combat crime.
According to the source, the joint efforts have helped reduce the average crime rate in the CIS states. However, the accomplishments are insufficient. Crimes are becoming international and offset the ongoing social and economic reforms. Crimes also threaten the security of the CIS states. By consolidating at the territorial, interregional, and international levels, crime groups actively explore the territories of the CIS states for drugs trafficking, money laundering, and plundering the wealth of the nations.
Konysbek Zhusupbekov called for tighter cooperation of the relevant law enforcement agencies in preventing, detecting, suppressing, and investigating crimes, in apprehending criminals, in indemnifying the damage, and executing punishments. The CIS Council of chiefs of penitentiary services should be an important link in these efforts.
Konysbek Zhusupbekov pointed out that cooperation in security matters in the CIS space has been shifted to fight against terrorism and extremism recently because capabilities of various terrorist groups are getting stronger through ties with transnational crime, by spreading the ideology of extremism and recruiting new followers.
Counterterrorism experts believe that correctional facilities offer a fertile ground where future terrorists emerge. People in correctional facilities are subjected to radicalization and become proponents of the most extreme and aggressive actions.
Konysbek Zhusupbekov underlined that people convicted of terrorism and extremism crimes should not be able to contact other prisoners.
The press service of the CIS Executive Committee said that the CIS Council of interior ministers is working on a draft interstate program on joint action against crime in 2019-2023. The suggested measures are based on an analysis of the crime situation in the CIS states, on crime development forecasts and cutting-edge crime control practices. Konysbek Zhusupbekov invited members of the CIS Council of chiefs of penitentiary services to help develop the document by presenting their vision of the forms and methods of improving interaction in penitentiary sphere. He also said he believes that the working groups established by the council could prepare new draft documents on sharing information, harmonizing the legislation, and training personnel for correctional facilities.
