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[FYI] (Fwd) CoE Press Release on Cybercrime Treaty




------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent:      	Thu, 20 Sep 2001 01:04:45 -0400
From:           	David Sobel <sobel@epic.org>
Subject:        	CoE Press Release on Cybercrime Treaty
To:             	gilc-plan@gilc.org
Send reply to:  	gilc-plan@gilc.org


http://press.coe.int/cp/2001/646a(2001).htm

646a(2001)

First international treaty to combat crime in cyberspace approved by
Ministers' Deputies

Strasbourg, 19.09.2001- The Council of Europe Ministers' Deputies have
just approved the Convention on Cybercrime.

The Deputies decided to present the Convention for formal adoption to
Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in Strasbourg on 8 November, with
the opening for signature by member states taking place at an
international conference in Budapest at the end of November. It will
enter into force when five states, at least three of which are members
of the Council of Europe, have ratified it.

The Convention will be the first international treaty on crimes
committed via the Internet and other computer networks, dealing
particularly with infringements of copyright, computer-related fraud,
child pornography and violations of network security. It also contains
a series of powers and procedures such as the search of computer
networks and interception.

Its main objective, set out in the preamble, is to pursue a common
criminal policy aimed at the protection of society against cybercrime,
especially by adopting appropriate legislation and fostering
international co-operation.

The Convention is the product of four years of work by Council of
Europe experts, but also by the United States, Canada, Japan and other
countries which are not members of the organisation.

It will be supplemented by an additional protocol making any
publication of racist and xenophobic propaganda via computer networks
a criminal offence.

* * *

In 1997, the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers asked a
committee of experts to "draft a binding legal instrument" examining
the issues of offences, substantive criminal law, the use of coercive
powers - including at international level - and the problem of
jurisdiction over computer crimes.

In April 2000, the draft text was declassified - a very unusual step
in the drafting of an international legal text - and made public on
the Internet so as to garner the opinions of professionals and network
users.

In March 2001, the Parliamentary Assembly held a hearing of
international experts and then adopted an opinion on the draft text at
its April plenary session.



Press Contact Sabine Zimmer, Council of Europe Press Service Tel. +33
3 88 41 25 97  - Fax. +33 3 88 41 27 90 E-mail: PressUnit@coe.int


......................................................................
. David L. Sobel, General Counsel              *   +1 202 483 1140
(tel) Electronic Privacy Information Center        *   +1 202 483 1248
(fax) 1718 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 200        *   sobel@epic.org
Washington, DC 20009   USA                   *   http://www.epic.org .


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