U.S., RI hold legal workshop

U.S., RI hold legal workshop

JAKARTA: The United States and Indonesian governments started
on Wednesday a two-day international workshop to work out how
both countries could better nab international criminals and seize
their ill-gotten gains.

The workshop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice and
the Indonesian Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, is focusing
on treaties, laws and procedures relating to international
evidence gathering and international cooperation in seizing
proceeds from criminal activities.

"Criminals can easily function internationally, and they use
national boundaries to their advantage in committing crimes and
avoiding arrest and prosecution," U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia B.
Lynn Pascoe said in his opening remarks. The workshop would
encourage the use of international mechanisms for gathering
evidence and seizing assets overseas, so that Indonesia could
bring transnational criminals to justice here.

Around 50 prosecutors, police officers, government officials
and law enforcement liaison officers from countries in the region
are taking part in the workshop. -- JP