UN Committee Adopts Convention on Cybercrime

The United Nations (UN) Ad Hoc Committee has finally adopted the convention on cybercrime after years of debate.

During a recent meeting, the UN Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes approved the convention, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly later this year.

After three years of debates, UN member states in the Ad Hoc Committee have introduced the first global instrument on cybercrime. However, human rights experts and civil society organizations worldwide have expressed concerns about the convention.

The updated draft of the convention emphasizes the need for enhanced coordination and cooperation among states, along with technical assistance, capacity-building, and technology transfer on mutually agreed terms. It also highlights the improvement of national laws and frameworks to empower national authorities to effectively combat cybercrimes in all their forms.

The convention further stresses the importance of cooperation among states to prevent and fight cybercrime, involving national, regional, and international organizations, civil society, academia, and private entities.

Addressing the Ad Hoc Committee meeting, Nepali diplomat Shivani Basnet from Nepal's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York stated, "We firmly believe this convention not only amplifies the voice of all nations but also reinforces the principle of multilateralism as we come together to tackle the shared challenges of cybercrime."

She emphasized the need for technical assistance and capacity-building in Nepal to bridge the cooperation gap and enhance readiness to combat cybercrime. Basnet also noted that, like other countries, regardless of wealth or lack thereof, Nepal is at risk of cybercrime. "Nepal deeply appreciates the robust safeguards and emphasis on human rights in the convention," she added.

Regarding the development, the Geneva Internet Platform mentioned, "The Committee Chair emphasized that the convention is a criminal justice legal instrument, and the aim is, therefore, to combat cybercrime by prohibiting certain behaviors by physical persons, rather than to regulate the behavior of member states."

Global organizations focused on technological freedoms and human rights have contributed suggestions and amendments to the document, expressing concerns that the convention could encourage state surveillance while addressing cybercrimes. A Nepali civil society organization, Freedom Forum, joined the global alliance of civil society organizations in advocating for the protection of human rights within the convention. -- RSS