From 4-11 April, the OiT Counter Terrorism and Police Unit organized a “Hostage Negotiation and Tactical Training” for the senior and mid-management police staff of the various anti-terrorism and specialized units of the MIA. The training was conducted based on real case scenarios and the findings of a training needs assessment focusing on rules of engagement in dealing with terrorists. During the training, importance was given to human rights aspects in the context of combating terrorism and special operations based on democratic policing principles. As a result, the training enabled the Anti Terrorism Unit to develop a Standard Operating Procedure for hostage situations and the division of operational responsibility between the hostage negotiators and the tactical team. On 12-13 March, the OiT funded the participation of the Director of the Academy of Dialogue in the OSCE expert round table on the “Role and Empowerment of Women in Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism”, held in Vienna. The Office views the Academy of Dialogue as a partner and an important stakeholder in the field of VERLT, which is in a position to facilitate an effective involvement of civil society in countering VERLT. Therefore, the participation of the Director of the Academy strove not only to reinforce his ability to address VERLT through the identification of good practices which could be replicated in Tajikistan; it also served to improve gender mainstreaming in the manner in which the issue of VERLT is tackled in the country. Drug Prevention Campaign The Drug Control Agency printed and published its 2011 Annual Report, financed and supported by the OSCE, within the OiT’s programme to combat illicit drug trafficking. The Annual Report describes the efforts of law enforcement agencies in 2011; reports on the drug situation in the country; the situation in Afghanistan; analyses drug abuse and drug prevention efforts; as well as international co-operation of the DCA. It was distributed among law enforcement and other Government agencies, as well as international organizations and other partners of the DCA. The dissemination of the Annual Report is part of a larger public outreach approach of the DCA in drug prevention and to identify the future focus of investigations. In 2012, as part of the State Target Programme on Drug Prevention and Fight against Illicit Drugs in the Republic of Tajikistan for the Period of 2008-2012, a Tajikistan-wide Drug Prevention Campaign was successfully completed. The campaign aimed to reduce the scale of drug demand-related crimes and law offences by mobilizing the population in drug prevention and adopting a healthy lifestyle. In 2012, drug prevention campaign activities took place in Dushanbe, and the Bobojon and Gafur districts of the Sughd region. ****** 141