Arabic-Speaking Counter-Terrorism Expert Trainers – Academic Unit

ABOUT THE IIJ

The International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), located in Malta, has a mission to deliver innovative and sustainable capacity-building through the implementation of counter-terrorism-related, rule of law-based good practices developed by the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and other international and regional fora.

Since its inauguration in 2014, the IIJ has trained more than 7,000 criminal justice practitioners through its interactive capacity-building workshops – in Malta and abroad – that enhance the competencies of parliamentarians, judges, prosecutors, police, prison and other criminal justice practitioners to address terrorism and related transnational criminal activities within a rule of law framework. The IIJ delivers capacity-building training tailored to the needs of the regions it serves, including North, West and East Africa; the Middle East; and select engagement in the Balkans, and Central, South and Southeast Asia. For more information on the IIJ, please visit the IIJ’s website at http://www.theiij.org.

In 2020, the IIJ launched an Academic Unit to provide in-depth courses to criminal justice practitioners aimed at filling critical knowledge gaps necessary for successfully countering terrorism and transnational crime.

CONSULTANCY POSITION

The IIJ is seeking applications from qualified Arabic-speaking expert practitioners to support the delivery of its Academic Unit’s innovative and ground-breaking Counter-Terrorism Academic Curriculum (CTAC) for criminal justice practitioners (investigators, prosecutors and examining judges). While the course has been offered to mid-level practitioners across Africa and Southeast Asia in English and French, the IIJ Academic Unit is expanding to Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa—with this pilot Arabic-language course for practitioners from the Middle East and North Africa scheduled to take place from 6 – 16 March 2023 in Valletta, Malta.

The CTAC is an in-person course designed for investigators, prosecutors, and examining judges to increase their awareness of terrorism-specific issues as well as the knowledge and skills for successfully investigating and prosecuting terrorism-related cases.

This in-person, two-week course focuses on participant-based learning which directly involves the participant in the learning process and includes a simulated investigation and prosecution, as well as relevant, interspersed lectures or discussions to build the following core skills:

• Strengthened internalisation of the importance of proportionate, reasonable, and justifiable methods to investigate terrorism, in compliance with human rights, including special investigation techniques;
• Improved drafting and advocacy skills to accurately communicate facts and legal arguments;
• Increased knowledge of how to use efficient case management procedures to reduce trial delays;
• Improved knowledge of how to better integrate witnesses and victims into investigations and prosecutions of offenders, including through better protection mechanisms;
• Enhanced knowledge of international good practices for effective investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases; and
• Strengthened international networks and international cooperation to improve evidence collection, mutual legal assistance, and extradition of offenders.

Key tasks and deliverables:

The Consultants are expected to facilitate and adapt exercises and deliver modules/sessions for selected mid-level practitioners (investigators and prosecutors) based on the course’s curriculum, already developed for and by the Academic Unit and translated into Arabic. This delivery is expected to be in-person in Valletta, Malta throughout the course from 6 – 16 March 2023. Consultants will be expected to be in Malta in advance of the course in order to coordinate with the IIJ’s faculty.

During the course and in coordination with the IIJ’s faculty and other external experts, the Consultants will facilitate discussions and provide brief presentations to advance the course’s learning objectives.

In addition, the Consultants and the IIJ’s Resident Fellows will rely on simulated cases for the exercises, where participants must deal with a number of challenges that often arise in terrorist and other complex criminal cases. The two-week (nine day) course revolves around a complex, simulated cross-border terrorist plot, replete with suspects, planned or completed attacks, and challenges. Participants will draw upon a large body of mock evidence, witness statements, police statements and financial records – already designed by the IIJ – to complete the CTAC’s assignments. These assignments will include such tasks as drafting proportional investigatory and charging decisions, interlocutory applications for special measures for protected witnesses and victims, as well as applications to freeze assets.

The Consultants will adapt, moderate and evaluate participants’ submissions for these exercises according to criteria pre-established by the Academic Unit, in order to strengthen the practitioners in the knowledge and skills required to deal with terrorist and other complex crime scenes and searches in a well-coordinated manner between the actors involved.

The Consultants’ services will entail the following tasks:

Delivery of the course and reporting (18 days maximum)

The Consultants are required

• to review the relevant modules,
• to review and revise the assigned exercises already prepared from the CTAC workbook and
• to prepare for their delivery.

The Consultants will be expected to be active participants in the delivery of the entire CTAC course, with different Consultants specifically tasked with leading the delivery of particular modules.

Consultants will also be required

• for the MENA region’s unique legal traditions, which might include splitting the cohort into relevant subgroups (in coordination with the Academic Unit faculty) depending on the exercises,

The Consultants will use some interactive methods to enhance the learning experience and encourage the participants to share their own good practices, tools and challenges.

Following the delivery of the course, the Consultants must submit a post-training report, using the IIJ’s template. The reports must be submitted in either English or French.

TIMEFRAME FOR PRODUCT DELIVERY

• The delivery of the course will be from 6 – 16 March 2023 in Malta, with in-person preparations and coordination expected in advance.

• The post-training reports must be submitted in their final versions by 10 April 2023.

CONSULTANT CRITERIA & QUALIFICATIONS

• Full professional fluency in Arabic, followed by proficiency in either English or French.

• Experience in prosecutions and/or investigations of terrorism or other complex, transnational crimes.

• Experience in the delivery of courses on criminal investigation, whether that be developing a whole programme of work or shaping existing programmes – preferably terrorism-related but may include other complex, transnational crimes.

• Experience of working internationally with other law enforcement/security organisations. Experience in the MENA region is an advantage.

• Experience of delivering capacity building projects overseas as well as a familiarity with the region and previous interactions with the target countries of the IIJ.

• Advanced degree in International/European Law, Law, Political Sciences, International Relations, Public Affairs/Public Administration, Development Studies or any related field;

• Excellent drafting skills;

• Strong communication skills;

• Strong conceptual thinking and analytical skills;

• Successful proven organisational and prioritisation skills;

• Energetic and adaptable in her/his approach with the ability to work individually and/or as part of a team;

• The ability to exercise good judgement and discretion at all times; and

• Efficient in observing deadlines and achieving results in accordance with qualitative and quantitative parameters.

Deadline for Applications

All interested applicants meeting the qualifications below are invited to submit a cover letter and CV to the IIJ Executive Secretariat at HR@THEIIJ.ORG by no later than 5 January 2023 with “AU_Expert Trainer” in the subject line.