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Increasingly, digital evidence plays a critical role in terrorism-related investigations and prosecutions. The EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility, implemented by the Â鶹APP Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), supported the Kyrgyz Republic in strengthening national capacities to collect, preserve and analyze digital evidence. Provided from March 2024 to December 2025, the Facility¡¯s support focused on improving the handling of digital devices by first responders and operationalizing the digital forensics laboratory of the Forensic Expert Service of the Ministry of Justice.

Collection and preservation of digital evidence

To strengthen the collection and preservation of digital evidence, the Facility organized a two-week train-the-trainer course in June 2024 for 15 representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its Academy, the State Committee for National Security and the Ministry of Justice. The training focused on the safe and proper handling of digital devices during searches and investigations, including procedures to preserve the integrity of digital evidence and maintain the chain of custody to ensure its admissibility in court. The training also integrated guidance on international human rights standards and ethical safeguards in the handling of digital evidence, helping ensure that investigative practices remain compliant with the rule of law.

Operationalization of the digital forensics laboratory of the Ministry of Justice

In parallel, the Facility provided eight months of mentoring and advisory support to the digital forensics laboratory of the Forensic Expert Service of the Ministry of Justice. Experts in digital forensics and human rights deployed by the Facility worked closely with national specialists to strengthen operating procedures, improve capacities for the analysis of digital data, and support the development of methodological guidance aligned with international standards. The mentoring emphasized responsible and accountable use of digital forensic tools, including safeguards to protect privacy and prevent misuse of sensitive data. This expert mentoring and advice was supplemented by the provision of specialized digital forensic tools and software, valued at approximately USD 125,000, to strengthen the operational capacity of the laboratory.

To promote the exchange of operational practices, the Facility organized a study visit to two digital forensics laboratories in Georgia in November 2024, delivered in partnership with the EU-funded Law Enforcement in Central Asia (LEICA) project. The visit allowed specialists from the Kyrgyz Republic to observe and exchange experience on the handling of digital evidence, laboratory management, and investigative workflows in complex criminal investigations. The Facility supported a further a study visit for digital forensic experts from Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan in August 2025, organized with the Â鶹APP Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

As a result of the support provided through the Facility, the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic significantly strengthened its capacity to process digital evidence in the context of terrorism-related investigations and prosecutions, including developing new capabilities to work with data from smartphones operating on iOS systems and from cloud-based services. The Forensic Expert Service reported a reduction by approximately 40 per cent in the time required to analyze digital evidence, while the laboratory¡¯s overall case processing capacity increased by around 25 per cent. By strengthening both the collection of digital devices by first responders and the forensic analysis of electronic data, the Facility¡¯s support contributed to a more effective rule-of-law based criminal justice response to terrorism in the Kyrgyz Republic.