Vienna, 14 April 2009

The United Nations Information Service Vienna

invites you to the

Opening Press Conference

of the

UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

on

Thursday, 16 April 2009, 13:00 hours

at the

Press Briefing Room CO3

with

Antonio Maria COSTA
Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

The UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice will meet in Vienna from 16 - 24 April to review what Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director, UNODC, has described as "a global crime wave". "Organized crime poses a threat to the security of cities, states, and even entire regions", warned Mr. Costa. "The work of this Commission is more relevant and more pertinent than ever".

One of the thematic discussions of this 18th session is economic fraud and identity-related crime. "The economic crisis is providing an extraordinary opportunity for mafia penetration of the international financial system. Urgent action is needed", said the head of UNODC. He also underlined the need to crack down on abuse of the Internet for economic fraud and cyber-terrorism.

The second thematic issue is penal reform and the reduction of prison overcrowding.

This Commission will constitute the launch pad for the Twelfth UN Crime Congress to be held in Salvador, Brazil in April 2010. The main theme of that Congress will be to compile and review standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice that have been developed over the past 50 years.

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Accreditation: Please note that accreditation is required to attend the briefing; forms and criteria are available on www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/media_accreditation.html or by writing to veronika.crowe-mayerhofer@unvienna.org. A media accreditation counter will be open at Gate 1 of the VIC on Thursday, 16 April 2009 from 12:30 - 13:00 hours. Journalists already accredited to the VIC do not need re-accreditation. Camera crews should inform of their participation latest by 1600 hours, Wednesday, 15 April 2009, by writing to veronika.crowe-mayerhofer@unvienna.org

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For further information, please contact:

Jaya Mohan, Information Officer, UNIS
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-4448
Mobile: (+43) (0) 699 1459-4448
Email: jaya.mohan@unvienna.org