D.A. Bragg, State of Saxony Announce International Law Enforcement Partnership


May 9, 2023

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.; Katja Meier, Saxon State Minister for Justice and for Democracy, European Affairs and Equality; and Martin Uebele, Attorney General of the State of Saxony today announced a partnership between the Manhattan D.A.’s Office and the Saxony Attorney General’s Office to enhance cross-border information exchanges and fight a wide range of 21st-century crimes, including far-right extremism, terrorism, and cybercrime.

District Attorney Bragg said: “Global cooperation is key to our shared fight against far-right extremism and terrorism. Modern crimes do not stop at national borders, so neither do our law enforcement collaborations. I’d like to thank the Attorney General’s Office for its strong partnership and look forward to welcoming its prosecutors to Manhattan.”

Minister of Justice Katja Meier said: “The cooperation between the judicial authorities in Saxony and in New York will significantly improve mutual understanding of international and global law enforcement issues. I am therefore pleased that the talks have been successful and that we have now been able to conclude a partnership agreement between the Attorney General’s Office and the New York District Attorney’s Office. In addition, I would like to thank Alvin Bragg for the very productive and instructive exchange. We talked about the historical experiences of the Peaceful Revolution in Saxony, respectively in East Germany, and the successful and courageous stand of the Saxons for democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law during the revolution. Alvin Bragg’s commitment to defending the rule of law and fundamental rights, as well as his progressive approach to the criminal justice system in New York, is very impressive. In order to address the causes of crime, a modern criminal justice policy must also include prevention, education and improved protection of the need of crime victims.”

Attorney General Martin Uebele said: “Crime does not stop at national borders. This applies in particular to organised crime and cybercrime, but also to terrorism and extremism. It is therefore even more important that law enforcement authorities cooperate well, efficiently and in a spirit of trust across borders. That is why I am pleased that with this agreement we can for the first time establish a transatlantic cooperation that is profitable for both sides.”

Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed today, the Offices will exchange high-level prosecutors for two weeks to learn about each other’s offices and identify opportunities for investigative and prosecutorial collaborations. The Offices will also assess a longer-term exchange program to provide mutual support and to improve the exchange of information between the two offices.

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