The Council of Europe´s Committee of Ministers has adopted a Recommendation providing guidance to its 46 member states on the protection of witnesses and collaborators of justice and aiming to strengthen international cooperation in this field.
The text, which updates a recommendation on the same subject adopted in 2005, addresses new developments and challenges that have emerged in the protection of witnesses and collaborators of justice. These include the challenges for their protection arising from the widespread use of social media and new technologies, including biometric authentication technology, such as facial recognition systems.
The Recommendation provides 33 principles addressing different aspects of the protection of witnesses and collaborators of justice, particularly protection measures and programmes, taking into account member states´ experience and best practices. It also aims to address new trends in the criminal landscape, such as new forms of violent extremism and foreign terrorist fighters, and more diverse societies where criminal groups sometimes are organised along ethnic, political or religious lines.