The convention adopted by 193 UN Member States by consensus, aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat cybercrime and protecting societies from digital threats.
- The Convention against Cybercrime will open for signature in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2025.
- It is first legally binding UN instrument on cybercrime & will enter into force 90 days after being ratified by 40th signatory.
Key Provisions
- Domestic Legislation: It mandates states to create domestic legislation making it illegal to breach information & communication systems without authorization.
- International Cooperation: Encourages member states to cooperate in investigations, evidence sharing, & prosecution of cybercrimes, while upholding principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, & non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other states.
- It also encourages states to establish bilateral/multilateral arrangements to facilitate the transfer of personal data subject to appropriate safeguards.
- Child Protection: It requires states to make it illegal to producing, selling, distributing, broadcasting child sexual exploitation material.
- Human Rights: States Parties shall ensure implementation of their obligations under the convention is consistent with international human rights law.
Significance
- It establishes a global criminal justice policy to protect society against cybercrime by ‘fostering international cooperation’.
- The convention represents a critical step in empowering developing nations to address increasingly sophisticated cyber challenges while respecting their sovereign capabilities.
