VIENNA CRIME CONGRESS VIDEO-CONFERENCE CAN BE SEEN 13 APRIL IN DAG HAMMARSKJOLD AUDITORIUM

In connection with the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, in Vienna from 10 to 17 April 2000 (see Press Release SOC/CP/214 issued 6 April), correspondents are invited to a live video-conference from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Thursday, 13 April, in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium. The conference is being broadcast from the Congress to the weekly Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Briefing. Speakers in Vienna will include:

-- Burkhard Damman, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention;

-- Garry Hill, Chair, Functional Committee of the International Scientific and Professional Advisory Council of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme;

-- Richard Mosley, Assistant Deputy Minister, Criminal Law Policy and Community Branch, Canada; and

-- Sandro Tucci, Spokesman for Pino Arlacchi, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.

A highlight of the Congress will be the draft United Nations treaty against transnational organized crime and its three protocols to combat trafficking in persons, migrants and illegal firearms. The treaty -� the first of its kind to tackle global organized crime -� should be ready for adoption by the Millennium Assembly in late 2000.

Other key topics will include new strategies to prevent crime, ensure fairness for victims, as well as offenders in criminal justice systems and promote the rule of law. Four workshops at the Congress will focus on computer crimes, corruption, women in criminal justice systems and community crime prevention.

For further information, contact Cathy Waugh, Development and Human Rights Section, UN Department of Public Information, tel: (212) 963-0352, fax: (212) 963-1186, email: [email protected]. or visit the Congress Web site: http://www.un.org/events/10thcongress

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