(Seychelles News Agency) - Several local entities are attending a four-day workshop to develop comprehensive witness protection guidelines consistent with national laws, regional and international legal frameworks, and best practices.

The workshop opened in a short ceremony on Tuesday at the Reflecs3 at Bois De Rose Avenue. It is organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA), in coordination with the Seychelles Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Secretariat.

Over four days, participants will enhance their capacity and knowledge of human-rights-based approaches to witness protection. The workshop features representatives of immigration, employment, education, foreign affairs, social services, the Anti-Corruption Commission of Seychelles (ACCS), and the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit (FCIU), among others.  

The workshop is facilitated and led by UNODC staff and experts from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

During the opening ceremony, the UNODC representative, Carmen Corbin, said having a good witness protection programme is key to encouraging people to come forward and report crimes.

She highlighted that it is so important to have mechanisms that support witnesses throughout the legal process because they are not lawyers or police officers, who are directly involved in the criminal justice system.

"It is so important that we have standards protocols and rules to support those people to allow them to feel safe in the criminal justice system and to help us build our cases," added Corbin.

She said the workshop is very important, as it will allow participants to build knowledge and share ideas, so that witnesses will feel safe to come forward, to help stop various crimes from happening in Seychelles, especially those related to human trafficking.

The Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, said that this initiative is timely in Seychelles' collective efforts to enhance justice and ensure the safety of those who play a crucial role in our legal processes.

"The development of these witness protection guidelines is of paramount importance for Seychelles. Witnesses play a pivotal role in the justice system by providing crucial information and testimony that help uphold the rule of law and combat all sorts of crime. Protecting these individuals is not just a matter of safety; it is essential for the integrity of our legal processes and the trust our citizens place in the justice system," he said.  

Fonseka stressed that the benefits to Seychelles are profound and that "we will not only enhance the safety and well-being of witnesses but also reinforce our commitment to upholding justice and human rights. This initiative will contribute to a more resilient legal framework, capable of addressing the complexities of modern challenges while adhering to the highest standards of protection and fairness."

He added that strengthening witness protection will bolster Seychelles' capacity to combat organised crime, trafficking in persons, and other serious offences. It will also enforce the country's commitment to human rights and the rule of law, fostering a safer and more just society for all, he concluded.

The workshop is being organised within the framework of the UNODC project on "Enhancing Effective and Victim-Centered Criminal Justice Responses to Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in Eastern Africa" and is funded by the U.S. Department of State.

It aims to reduce Trafficking In Person in Eastern Africa by enhancing the strategic and operational capacity of member states to prevent, suppress, and punish TIP. It will help to effectively protect and support victims through the development and strengthening of national legislation, standardised operating procedures, and national plans of action in line with the Palermo Protocols.