From 15-19 March 2015, EUPOL COPPS facilitated a visit to the Netherlands as part of its cooperation and support to the Palestinian Anti Corruption commission (PACC). The aim of the visit was to expose participants to how the Netherlands system of witness protection functions from both a legal and practical aspect, along with to help the PACC with its ongoing activities in developing a legal framework for witness protection on corruption cases.
During the visit, the delegation visited the witness protection team located in the national public prosecution office in Rotterdam. Legal and practical aspects of witness protection were discussed, along with case studies presented. Additionally, the Police witness protection team gave an overview of their roles and some practical examples of the cooperation between the police and prosecution on witness protection. In The Hague, the delegation visited EUROPOL and discussed witness protection programs within the European Police forces and how they work together. The Austrian and UK witness protection system were explained by way of example. Finally the delegation visited the special court in Amsterdam where anonymous witnesses are heard in specially designed witness boxes, and were receive by a judge who spoke about procedures and guarantees, and the roles of the court on these cases.
The delegation of the PACC consisted of six members of the PACC and its prosecution headed by Mr. Akram Al Khatib, Deputy Attorney General/PACC.
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