Tonga prepares to fight cybercrime [1]
Thursday, April 30, 2015 - 08:43. Updated on Thursday, April 30, 2015 - 14:20.
Tongans working in the judicial system are being made aware of cyber threats and the risks associated with the use of the internet, where cyber criminals can exploit the unwary public.
Steven David Brown, a Project Manager for the Council of Europe's GLACY Project and one of three trainers running workshops in Tonga this week, said the potential for harm caused by criminals who exploit the many advantages of the digital age must be met by a criminal justice system equipped with the right legislation, skills and tools for the job.
Tonga's foresight and recognition in building such resources will help protect its people now and in the future, he said.
The series of workshops in Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence Training are being held in Nuku'alofa to assist criminal justice professionals, from 24 April to 1 May.
They are organised by the Council of Europe within the framework of a Global Action on Cybercrime (GLACY) Project with the Tonga’s Attorney General’s Office. The workshops include Judicial Introductory Training, First Responder Course of Law Enforcement, Workshop on Interagency Cooperation and Workshop on Setting up a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).
The Acting Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions 'Aminiasi Kefu said the Tongan Government is grateful to the EU and the Council of Europe for allowing the GLACY Project to provide Tonga with these useful and timely training, especially soon after Tonga's connection to the Southern Cross submarine fibre optic cable.
"After the training, the Tongan officials and private operators will surely be more aware and prepared to protect the Tongan people from cyber threats and risks and to bring cyber criminals to justice," he said.
Convention
In November 2013, the Tongan Government submitted its intention to accede to the Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.
In October 2014, Tonga was officially invited by the Council of Europe to accede to the Budapest Convention of Cybercrime. As a result of this invitation, Tonga has been considered a priority country under this project to prepare before its accession to the convention.
GLACY Project is a joint project of the EU and Council of Europe aimed at enabling criminal justice authorities to engage in international cooperation on cybercrime and electronic evidence on the basis of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.