CT-JUST project: Strengthening counter-terrorism criminal justice

Terrorism is a global threat to peace and international security. It poses a threat to the physical integrity and freedom of individuals, human rights, justice, as well as the economic development of the affected countries. Terrorist organisations operate at the transnational and transregional level, making it difficult to neutralise them. The Middle East region and the wider area of the Maghreb and Sahel are particularly at risk of these threats, due to the active presence of terrorist groups that cooperate with each other and continuously adapt their strategies.

This calls for a global response, based on the effectiveness of the criminal justice chain and enhanced international cooperation in the fields of the judiciary and law enforcement. This approach needs to be detailed and harmonised at all levels – national, regional, transregional and multilateral – to ensure coordinated and effective action to curb the spread of terrorism in these regions.

Building on the lessons learned from previous or ongoing interventions, and based on the rule of law and human rights, CT-JUST is working to strengthen the weakest or missing links in the criminal justice chain in the priority countries. Support is provided at all stages of the chain: from the first phases of an effective police investigation and evidence management, enabling full procedural guarantees, to imprisonment, while safeguarding the dignity of victims through human rights.

The objective of CT-JUST is to enhance the knowledge and competencies of officials working in the field of counter-terrorism, by providing them with effective technical and operational tools. In addition to strengthening national bodies, CT-JUST promotes judicial and law enforcement cooperation mechanisms, enabling the development of effective criminal investigations with efficient operational responses at the transnational level. The project is also helping to establish and develop connections and a strategic dialogue between the countries and institutions at the regional and transregional level. This fosters a coordinated and integrated counter-terrorism approach.

The CT-JUST project is based on three main lines of action:

• Training in the technological tools used for the analysis of intelligence, investigation and evidence collection is provided to enhance the competencies of judicial and law enforcement officials
• Knowledge sharing activities are organised, creating an enabling framework for the sharing of expertise and good practices. Guidance documents and agreements to promote the sharing of strategic information at international level will be prepared for this purpose during the project  
• Customised capacity building activities are being organised depending on the needs expressed. They comprise training of trainers and the provision of appropriate equipment for the analysis units and training institutes 

To date, CT-JUST has supported 6 counter-terrorism initiatives in 22 countries, thereby enhancing the capabilities of criminal justice officials. The programme has already trained more than 290 professionals from 61 institutions. For example, in October 2022, training was organised in Iraq for policewomen focusing on special investigative techniques. More recently, in February 2024, a crisis simulation exercise was organised for the special units of the Tunisian National Guard. The aim of this exercise was to improve inter-agency coordination and enhance the effectiveness of the operational response.