OSCE organizes train-the-trainer course in Uzbekistan on detecting forged documents and imposters

A 10-day train-the-trainer course on the detection of forged documents and identification of imposters concluded in Tashkent on 9 June 2017. The course, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan with support from the Transnational Threats Department’s Travel Document Security Programme, was attended by 19 officers of relevant departments of the State Border Protection and National Security Services and 12 officers of the Internal Affairs Ministry of Uzbekistan.

Experts of the Austrian Federal Interior Ministry shared best practices in ensuring international document security, including identifying falsified travel documents during a document control. Participants also examined the manufacturing process of forged travel documents, the use of paper and polymer substrates to ensure document security, conventional printing techniques, photo protection, secondary verification, profiling and the latest trends in counterfeiting methods and means of identifying them.

“As counterfeiting and forgery techniques become more complex and sophisticated, there is an increasing need for law enforcement authorities to be able to correctly detect these fraudulent practices in order to intercept potential organized criminals and terrorists,” said  Juergen Becker, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “In this context, travel document security is a priority area for OSCE counter-terrorism efforts, aimed at preventing the cross-border movement, amongst others, of foreign terrorist fighters.”

The course aimed at improving the ability of local law enforcement agencies to recognize original, forged and false documents, to utilize forensic equipment to identify document forgery and prepare trainers to disseminate further received knowledge, skills and practical experience within the relevant agencies of Uzbekistan.

The training is part of the OSCE’s joint project with Uzbekistan to provide assistance to national law enforcement agencies and relevant institutions from the non-governmental sector in improving the capabilities of practitioners to effectively respond to terrorism-related threats in compliance with human rights and the rule of law.