Within the framework of the international scientific and practical forum "TASHKENT CYBERLEX–2026," a two-day special expert session on "Digital Evidence and Crypto Assets: Germany's Experience in International Cooperation for Asset Recovery" was held at the Law Enforcement Academy.
This session, organized with the support of the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ), has become an important international expert platform dedicated to discussing modern legal and practical approaches in the field of digital evidence, crypto-assets, and criminal asset recovery.
The event was attended by representatives of Oliy Majlis committees, the Supreme Court, the prosecutor's office, law enforcement and regulatory bodies, professors and teachers of the Academy, as well as specialists in the field.
Today, digital technologies, crypto-assets, and cross-border financial transactions exacerbate the risks of concealing criminal proceeds and transferring corrupt assets to foreign jurisdictions. This requires new mechanisms for international cooperation in identifying and storing digital evidence, seizing and confiscating crypto-assets, effectively organizing financial investigations, and returning assets.
In the opening part of the session, Deputy Head of the Law Enforcement Academy, session moderator Uygun Nigmadjanov took part with an introductory report on the practice of confiscating crypto-assets and other property in Uzbekistan, legal approaches being formed in this area, and current aspects of improving financial investigations in the digital economy.
Frank Hopfeld, IRZ Project Manager in Uzbekistan, emphasized the importance of these cooperation initiatives in strengthening the exchange of legal knowledge and practical experience.
The main expert block of the session was organized with the participation of the head of the department for combating money laundering and confiscation of property of the Hamburg city prosecutor's office, senior prosecutor Gerhard Brinker.
Within the framework of the two-day special program, the legal framework for the confiscation of crypto-assets and other property in Germany, the identification and seizure of property values acquired by criminal means, the confiscation of assets registered in the name of third parties, expanded confiscation, confiscation without a court sentence, self-legalization and requirements for the evidence base in cases of money laundering by third parties were discussed based on German experience.
Practical explanations were also provided regarding the organization of digital and financial investigations, ensuring the preservation of electronic evidence, preparing requests for international legal assistance, the practice of providing legal assistance by the Federal Republic of Germany, and cooperation mechanisms with foreign partners in the field of asset recovery.
On the second day of the session, Shukhrat Khomidov, an employee of the Law Enforcement Academy, presented the national experience of financial investigations of corruption crimes in Uzbekistan, the practice of identifying and seizing digital assets.
During the discussions, it was noted that the experience of Germany is of great practical importance for the law enforcement practice of Uzbekistan in the field of working with digital evidence, analyzing the movement of crypto-assets, recovering criminal assets and improving mechanisms for international legal cooperation.
As one of the most practical and strategically important expert platforms of the "TASHKENT CYBERLEX - 2026" forum, the special session will serve to strengthen international cooperation aimed at building the capacity of law enforcement agencies, implementing modern approaches to asset recovery, and ensuring the rule of law in the digital age.