UN approves first cybercrime treaty

ARK News.. UN member states have approved the first treaty to combat cybercrime, which must be formally adopted by the General Assembly and then ratified by each country.

"Agence France-Presse" said that UN member states, on Thursday, August 8, 2024, adopted a treaty to combat cybercrime, despite strong opposition from human rights activists who warn of what they call a "global censorship tool."

According to the agency, human rights defenders fear that the text could be used by countries that criminalize homosexuality or target dissidents and journalists.

Critics of this treaty, an unusual alliance that includes human rights activists and major technology companies, condemn its broad scope, considering that it could amount to a global "censorship" treaty and could be used for repression.

The source indicated that the "UN Convention against Cybercrime" was approved unanimously, after three years of formal negotiations and a final two-week session in New York.

The source explained that it will then be submitted to the General Assembly for formal adoption, and the new treaty will enter into force once it is ratified by 40 member states.
The source stressed that the treaty aims to "prevent and combat cybercrime more efficiently and effectively," especially with regard to images of child sexual abuse and money laundering.

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