DOHA: The 13th UN Crime Congress yesterday saw the launch of a new social media initiative by host country Qatar to fight local and international crime.
The Media Committee under the Preparatory Committee of the 13th UN Crime Congress launched “Tweet For Justice”, an initiative to use social media to ensure continuous engagement of policy makers, social media activists, law enforcement agencies and the public in efforts towards crime prevention and the promotion of criminal justice.
The public can share their thoughts about crime prevention and criminal justice using the hashtag #tweet4justice.
“The popularity and integration of social media with traditional forms of communication have created new opportunities for the public to conduct a continuing dialogue with law enforcement agencies. This can foster understanding, cooperation and a more comprehensive approach to countering all forms of crime, violence, corruption and terrorism, and to ensuring coordinated, coherent implementation,” the committee said in a statement .
The project was launched in the presence of Maj Gen Abdullah Yousuf Al Mal, Advisor to the Minister of Interior and Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee.
“From the proceedings of the 13th UN Crime Congress, we realised that fighting crime truly relies on the sustained involvement of everyone — beyond the duration of the Congress itself. This is why we developed the idea of Tweet For Justice,” said Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah, Head of the Media Committee.
“Tweet For Justice” aims to continue the dialogue between the public and law enforcement agencies to make sure that the essence of the Doha Declaration — that sustainable development and the rule of law were strongly interrelated and mutually reinforcing — is made the basis of future law enforcement policies.
“It is but fitting for us to launch this social media initiative since Qatar has the advantage of being one of the most networked-ready nations in the world,” added Al Muftah. The 13th UN Crime Congress that concludes today saw a record 230 meetings and workshops over eight days.
The 2014 Global Information and Technology Report ranks Qatar 23rd in the world and first among the Arab Networked Readiness with its strongest area of performance being government usage of ICT, ranking fourth in the world.
The Media Committee hoped that “Tweet for Justice” would become the starting point of a sustained global discussion that will involve everyone who desires peace in the world to help in the adoption of comprehensive and inclusive national crime prevention and criminal justice policies and programmes.
The delegates participated in discussions on topics such as transnational trafficking in persons, weapons, drugs, violence against women and children, cultural property, crowding of prisons, cyber and new emerging crimes, treaties, conventions and the Doha Declaration.
The total of ancillary meetings reached 198 and expert translators delivered 140 instant interpretations at the Congress in which delegates spoke 10 languages.
THE PENINSULA
THE PENINSULA
