POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF FIELD OPERATIONS central ASIA Trafficking in Human Beings & Migrationrelated Crime From 25 to 28 March, the SR/CTHB visited Uzbekistan to discuss the country’s progress in implementing the OSCE anti-trafficking commitments since the SR’s previous visit in November 2013. With the support of the PCUz, the SR held in-depth discussions with high-level officials from both central and local-level institutions, including the Deputy Prime Minister, the Deputy Chairperson of the Senate (higher chamber of the parliament), the Chairperson of the Interagency Anti-Trafficking Commission, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, the Supreme Court and the GPO of Uzbekistan. In addition, the SR had a meeting with the network of anti-trafficking NGOs and international partners based in Tashkent. The SR also visited Bukhara, where she met the Deputy Head of the Province Administration, the Mayor of Bukhara, and the territorial branch of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Commission, and visited the NGO-run Bukhara Crisis Centre for Women. On 23 and 24 April, the PCUz supported the participation of four Uzbek officials from the Supreme Court, the GPO, the MFA, the Women’s Committee and the NGO Istiqbolli Avlod in the 18th OSCE Alliance against Trafficking in Persons Conference in Vienna. The conference fits into the PCUz antitrafficking project, “Support to Further Development of the National Institutional Framework and Operational Capacity to address Trafficking in Human Beings in Uzbekistan”, and its goal of promoting the importance of inclusive partnerships to further enhance a comprehensive and multi-dimensional response to the crime of human trafficking. From 14 to 18 May and from 16 to 21 July, two PCUz training courses on anti-trafficking for investigators and operative agents of Uzbekistan’s police were held in the Urgench and Fergana regions, involving police investigators from eight regions of Uzbekistan. The training’s objective was to develop the participants’ relevant skills and attitudes in identifying victims of human trafficking and labour exploitation, in order to be able to refer them to the appropriate legal, social and psychological assistance bodies. Particular attention was paid to new forms and methods of recruiting potential victims of human trafficking. Furthermore, the training took an innovative approach by exploring the link between human trafficking and terrorism. On 28 and 29 May, with support of the PCUz, three representatives from the Supreme Court, the MFA and the NGO Istiqbolli Avlod participated in the first Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on the topic of “Child Trafficking – From Prevention to Protection”, held in Vienna. During the event, discussions focused on the need to prevent child trafficking and to protect minors by implementing recommendations aimed at establishing sustainable mechanisms to ensure respect for children’s human rights and to combat child trafficking. From 24 to 28 September, the PCUz supported the participation of five representatives of the Supreme Court, the GPO, the MoI and the anti-trafficking NGO Istiqbolli Avlod as experts and participants in the OSCE live-action antitrafficking exercise in Kazakhstan. More than 50 professionals from law enforcement agencies, labour inspectorates, financial investigative units, prosecutorial offices, NGOs and social services from 14 OSCE participating States took part in the one-week simulation exercise in the Akmola Province. Alongside colleagues from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the attending Uzbek experts were able to provide their input and ensure that all the developed scenarios were adapted into the context of Uzbekistan. From 10 to 19 October, the PCUz, in co-operation with ODIHR, organized a study tour for eight Uzbek representatives to Georgia and Spain focused on successful practices in combating THB for the purposes of sexual and labour exploitation. The participants included officials from the Presidential Administration, the MFA and MoI, the GPO, the Tashkent City Court, the NHRC, and representatives from the Women’s Committee and the NGO Istiqbolli Avlod. The goal of the study tour was to share promising practices used in Georgia and Spain to successfully prevent, identify, investigate, prosecute and provide assistance in cases that involve THB for the purposes of sexual and labour exploitation, and to protect victims. Additionally, it aimed to promote the partnership between Georgia, Spain, Uzbekistan, the PCUz and ODIHR. The study tour was organized within the framework of the project, “Support to further development of the national institutional framework and operational capacity to address trafficking in human beings in Uzbekistan”. Cybercrime On 27 March, the PCUz hosted the monthly meeting of the Implementation Working Group for the project on “Assistance to the Republic of Uzbekistan in developing national capacities to counter transnational Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) threats”. The meeting gathered representatives of the Oliy Majlis, the MFA, the MITC, law enforcement agencies, and the private sector. At the meeting, it was officially announced that Uzbekistan was in compliance with paragraph 8 of the PC.DEC/1202 of from 10 March 2016, on OSCE Confidence-Building Measures to Reduce the Risks of Conflict Steaming from the use of ICT, which stipulates to establish a contact point to facilitate pertinent communications and dialogue on the security of 143