On January 24, 2022, the High Court in London ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal to the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court against extradition to the United States.  The U.S. has requested his extradition on 18 federal counts – 17 of espionage and one of computer misuse – in the U.S. with respect to WikiLeaks’ publication of thousands of leaked documents concerning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.[1]

On November 18, 2021, the European Commission submitted to the European Parliament and the European Council a report assessing the added value of the Directive (EU) 2017/541 with regard to combating terrorism.[1]

On January 20, 2022, Executive Director of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ms. Ghada Fathi Wali commended Nigeria for successfully prosecuting 10 pirates, a first for the continent of Africa.  A federal judge in Lagos, Nigeria handed each man a 12-year prison sentence for unlawfully boarding a Chinese fishing vessel and kidnapping the crew.[1]

In December 2021, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a public version of report to congressional requesters regarding the use of virtual currencies to facilitate human and drug trafficking and possible solutions.  Broadly speaking, the report recommends that the U.S. Treasury cooperate with local law enforcement to share typologies, methodologies, and region-specific information of traffickers in an effort to link them with industries that bolster the illicit practices.[1]

On January 20, 2022, a federal grand jury in the United States District Court in Manhattan  charged four senior Belarusian officials with conspiracy to commit aircraft piracy for diverting Ryanair Flight 4978 in order to arrest a dissident Belarusian journalist.[1]

On January 18, 2022, the Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) issued a set of good practices concerning the use of global supervisory colleges in securities markets.  It has the goal of increasing cooperation and information –sharing among securities regulators.[1]

On January 19, 2022, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of Rodolphe Jaar, a dual Haitian-Chilean citizen, after he agreed to return from the Dominican Republic, where he was arrested, to the U.S.[1]

On January 22, 2022, Statewatch revealed a restricted document, according to which the European Union had proposed Egypt for the joint presidency of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

With some delay, the Statewatch revealed a document, originated in the end of November 2021 the EU Council, which presents “Operational Action Plan 2022: Child sexual exploitation.”[1]

On December 21, 2021, NatWest Markets Plc (NatWest), a London-U.K.-based banking and financial services firm, pleaded guilty to spoofing in the markets for U.S. Treasury securities and futures contracts.[1]