VIENNA, 19 April 2007 (UNODC) - Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will hold a news conference at 1.00 p.m. on Monday 23 April 2007 in room CO3, Vienna International Centre, following the opening of the sixteenth session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
The Crime Commission meets annually to formulate international policies in the field of crime control. Its sixteenth session, from April 23 to 27, will consider a broad range of issues such as criminal justice responses to urban crime, including gang-related activities, and combating the sexual exploitation of children.
Other subjects will include international cooperation against trafficking in timber and illegal logging, economic and identity-related crime, standards and norms on the treatment of victims and strengthening the basic principles of judicial conduct.
A comprehensive programme of side events includes a slide presentation and discussion at 1.00 p.m. on 23 April entitled UNODC in a post-conflict country; the crime programme in Afghanistan and a panel discussion at 3.00 p.m. on foreigners in prison organized by a coalition of NGOs.
On 26 April at 1.00 p.m., the NGO "Libera" will hold an event entitled The role of civil society in the prevention of urban violence and organized crime.
***
