TRAFFICKING TRAINING FOR IMAMS AMD LAWYERS

UNCLAS DHAKA 000739

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV PREF CASC BG
SUBJECT: TRAFFICKING TRAINING FOR IMAMS AMD LAWYERS


1. (U) Summary. In an innovative training program on
investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases, the
Embassy provided training to imams and human rights lawyers
to help them understand what law enforcement needed in
order to prosecute trafficking cases. End Summary.

Trafficking Prosecution Course
==============================


2. (U) Fifteen participants representing the Imam Training
Academy and lawyers from human rights groups met from April
5 to 8 in Dhaka for a course on "Investigative and
Prosecutorial Techniques for Human Trafficking Cases."
Designed by the Resident Legal Advisor and the Assistant
Legal Advisor, the interactive course gives trainees a case
study and asks them to develop an investigation plan. The
same course was taught in July and August last year to
prosecutors and police officers from one-third of the
country's districts.


3. (U) An FBI Special Agent instructs students in how to
exploit leads through techniques such as consensual
recorded phone calls, interviewing methods, and different
types of searches. Throughout the investigative portion of
the course, participants are reminded to consider how they
would use the evidence at trial. There are several
lectures devoted to prosecutorial techniques such as
preparing witnesses and victims for trial, and examination
methods and damage control from defense counsel's
cross-examination.

An Innovative Approach: Reaching Imams and Human Rights
Lawyers
=== ============================ ===========================


4. (U) For this course, Embassy reached out to new
constituencies -- imams and human rights lawyers. The goal
was to make them more effective partners of police and
prosecutors in combating trafficking. The four imams
selected by Imam Training Institute to participate and the
institute's imam leader (together comprising one-third of
the class) were not new to trafficking issues. Last year
the institute received funding from the USAID through The
Asia Foundation for a training program on trafficking
focused on rehabilitating victims back into local society
and techniques used by traffickers. The human rights
lawyers were obviously well versed in trafficking issues
but again, had no perspective on law enforcement. Imams
came from Dhaka, Chittagong, Jessore and Rajshahi and the
human rights lawyers, based in Dhaka, do work in cities
throughout Bangladesh.


5. (SBU) The group actively pursued the leads provided in
the case study and were generally quicker than previous
police and prosecutor participants in analyzing information
and deciding on the next step in the investigation. A
large segment of the course focused on interviewing
techniques of victims, witnesses, and targets. The
participants took the work seriously as seen in their
lively discussions and reluctance to break up their work
groups to take the one scheduled tea break.

The Multiplier Effect
=====================


6. (SBU) The program's long term success depends on
creating a pool of talented professionals who are keen to
replicate the program in their communities. In the case of
the imams, their assistance could be invaluable. In the
four areas they represent, the imams run training centers
and offered their facilities for joint trainings with
police and prosecutors to facilitate field training.
Moreover, as with all such programs, the daily contact and
informal conversations amongst participants helped forge
important relationships and contacts. The Imams were
particularly impressed by the FBI Special Agent's
experiences in the Civil Rights Unit of the FBI
investigating trafficking, police abuse of citizens and
hate crimes.

BUTENIS