"Effective Investigation in the Age of Digitalisation"

The theme of the IAP Regional Conference to be held in İstanbul on 2-5 May 2023 has been determined as "Effective Investigation in the Age of Digitalization". As it is known, in parallel with technological developments today, the types of crimes committed in the digital environment by using information systems continue to increase in various ways. These crimes have transnational characteristics and negatively affect the legal, economic and social order of countries. Crimes committed in cyberspace such as espionage, terrorism, money laundering, card forgery, arms smuggling, child sexual abuse, trafficking in organs, racism, and xenophobia pose a great danger to the societies.

Due to the fact that these crimes are transnational and violate the legal order of the countries, there are difficulties in conducting investigations and gathering evidences. While overcoming these difficulties, a legal balance should be established between the rights of the accused and the interests of justice and the benefit of the victim. It is an important problem that there are countries that are not party to the Council of Europe's Convention on Cybercrime or UN resolutions, and also do not have bilateral agreements or memorandums. Considering that countries have different legal systems, there are significant problems in gathering and using the evidence of these crimes quickly and in accordance with the law and international standards. Therefore, cooperation between countries becomes increasingly crucial.

The effects of cybercrime on national economies have also reached significant dimensions. In recent years, the economic values, which are ​​obtained by crypto money fraud, the use of cryptocurrency for money laundering damage the country's economies. Accordingly, the confiscation of property obtained from crime is a separate legal problem.

In the age of digitalization, artificial intelligence has also started to be used in criminal investigations. For this reason, the appearance of artificial intelligence in criminal procedure and its criminal liability should be discussed and evaluated. It will be beneficial to discuss the practices and legislation of countries in our conference on this subject, which is different from the classical investigation methods and has not yet established a situated practice.

Find Conference Plenaries below

Plenary 1: The Appearance and Effects of Digitalization in the Criminal Procedure

During this plenary, the subject on "the Appearance and Effects of Digitalization in the Criminal Procedure" will be discussed. As it is known, digital evidence is defined as information and data that are stored on or transmitted through electronic tools, and have value in terms of investigation. Due to the nature of digital evidence, unlike classical evidence, as it can be moved, deleted, changed, and recreated, it is important to gather and use digital evidence in accordance with the law. The challenges faced in this field, difficulties in 24/7 applications within the scope of the Council of Europe's Convention on Cybercrime, problems that stem from the various legal systems of countries, and responds to them will be discussed during this plenary.

Plenary 2: Fighting Against Economic Crimes in the Age of Digitalization

During this plenary, the subject of "Fighting Against Economic Crimes in the Age of Digitalization" will be discussed. As it is known, cryptocurrencies are digital assets that are used as virtual currency, do not have any physical existence, and use decentralized authority. In the investigations conducted, it has been found out that crypto assets are used in money laundering. For this reason, it is important to respond timely and prioritize international cooperation in the investigation of crimes committed with cryptocurrencies. Challenges and examples of good practices in these matters will be discussed during the plenary.

Plenary 3: Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Procedure

During this plenary, the subject of "Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Procedure" will be discussed. It is a fact that today's technology has developed swiftly and the level of autonomy of artificial intelligence has reached surprising levels. As a result, it is worth discussing that artificial intelligence is used in the crimes and who is responsible for these crimes. In this context, country practices regarding artificial intelligence, criminal liability of artificial intelligence, and the consequences of using artificial intelligence in criminal investigations will be discussed.