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Working meeting of Chairmen of Investigative Committees of Russia and the Republic of Belarus takes place in St. Petersburg

A working meeting was held in St. Petersburg between the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin, and the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus, Dmitry Yuryevich Gora. The event was also attended by Alexander Klaus, Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Andrey Golombievsky, Acting Head of the Main Investigative Department of St. Petersburg, Pavel Vymenets, Head of the Western Interregional Investigation Department on Transport, as well as employees of the Legal Support and International Cooperation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia and the international legal department of the central office of the Investigative Committee of Belarus.

In order to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework between the Investigative Committees of Russia and Belarus, the heads of the two agencies signed an updated Program of Cooperation in the Field of Forensic Support and Support of Preliminary Investigation for 2022 - 2023. This program will improve interagency cooperation in law enforcement and pre-trial criminal proceedings, as well as ensure the systematic exchange of experience in the introduction of new forensic tools and systems of practical interest for both Russian and Belarusian investigators and forensic specialists.

Alexander Bastrykin emphasized at the meeting that the relations between the investigative committees of Russia and Belarus are traditionally built in the spirit of good neighborliness, respect and mutual consideration of interests, covering numerous areas of cooperation in criminal proceedings, in the development of common approaches to the protection of social values, as well as training and scientific and educational field.

Belarusian colleagues noted that Russian forensic experts specializing in the application of psychological methods of memory activation and cognitive interviewing have already repeatedly provided practical assistance in investigative actions. Investigators of the regional offices and the city of Minsk on an ongoing basis send video materials seized from various crime scenes to the forensic units of the Investigative Committee of Russia to improve the quality and obtain clearer images of the faces of alleged criminals, registration plates of vehicles and other objects. Colleagues expressed confidence that this direction with mutual cooperation will contribute to the solution of the tasks facing the departments in the field of restoration of law and justice.  

During the talks, a common interest was expressed in increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in combating transnational crime and in other areas of cooperation.

The meeting and the signing of the updated Program of cooperation in the field of forensic support of the preliminary investigation was assessed by the participants of the event as a new impetus to the development of bilateral contacts.

Once again noting the high level of cooperation between the two agencies, Mr. Bastrykin presented Mr. Gora with the Russian Investigative Committee's medal "For Assistance". Dmitry Gora, in turn, thanked for the warm welcome and assistance in the framework of cooperation.  

Following the event, the parties noted that regular working meetings at the level of the heads of the investigative committees of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus contribute to the development of bilateral relations in law enforcement, serve the development and strengthening of mutually beneficial relations in order to create conditions for safe life of the citizens of the Union State.