ASEAN bolsters mutual legal assistance collaboration in criminal matters

Delegates at the first meeting of the ASEAN Minister and Attorneys – General of the Central Authorities on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (AMAG-MLAT) (Photo:asean.org)

Jakarta (VNA) – The first meeting of the ASEAN Minister and Attorneys – General of the Central Authorities on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (AMAG-MLAT) opened in Bandar Seri Begawan on November 22. 

The meeting took note of the achievement of the elevation of the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters into an ASEAN Treaty at the sixth meeting of the Attorneys-General/Ministers of Justice and Minister of Law held on April 25, 2019, which was noted by the 34th ASEAN Summit.

The meeting further took note of the successful outcome of the 43rd ASEAN Summit held on September 5, 2023, of which the ASEAN leaders also welcomed the progress of the work under AMAG-MLAT and looked forward to its inaugural meeting which was scheduled in Brunei in furthering the effective implementation of the ASEAN MLAT to strengthening ASEAN’s capacity and resilience to combat transnational crime.

The meeting commended the progress of the work undertaken by the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Central Authorities on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (“SOM-MLAT”) in supporting and strengthening the ASEAN member states’ cooperation on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and ensuring the effective implementation of the ASEAN Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (ASEAN MLAT).

The meeting took note of the requests made by non-ASEAN member states to accede to the ASEAN MLAT and tasked the SOM-MLAT, with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat through providing the Guidelines for Accession by non-ASEAN member states to the ASEAN MLAT and other work progress, to continue examining the requests with a view to providing the ASEAN Ministers/Attorneys-General with appropriate assessment and recommendation.

The meeting also expressed appreciation to Cambodia for offering to host the second AMAGM-LAT in 2025./.