08/30/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/30/2023 06:48
The UN Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime began its sixth negotiating session on August 21, 2023 in New York. The Committee is mandated to develop a comprehensive international treaty on countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes. Human Rights Watch and ARTICLE 19 analyzed the draft text and outlined key concerns. The treaty as currently drafted risks criminalizing online expression and conduct that is protected under international human rights standards. It also authorizes the use of intrusive tools to investigate crimes without proper safeguards, and creates a new global framework for international cooperation that could result in a race to the bottom in cross-border policing. Human Rights Watch and ARTICLE 19 have been emphasizing these concerns in their engagement with the Committee and submitted the analysis to the Committee for its consideration.
The Draft Text's near-unlimited scope undermines human rights
Article 17: Substantive offences should be clearly articulated in the Proposed Convention
Preamble, Paragraph 3: Remove unrelated offences
Article 22: Scope of Jurisdiction measures will have negative human rights implications
The Draft Text's criminal offences pose a threat to human rights
Article 15: Avoid infringing on the rights of survivors of online gender-based violence
Articles 6-10: Core cybercrime provisions lack key safeguards and limitations
Draft Text's overall human rights provisions fall short
Paragraphs 9, 11 and 12 of the preamble & Article 5
General safeguard in Articles 21, 23, 24 and 35 require more robust protections for human rights
Scope and Breadth of the Draft Text's policing and cooperation powers
Articles 40(4), 42-26, 47 and 54: Overbroad global cooperation powers
Recommendation 1: Delete Article 17 in its entirety. [6-14]
Recommendation 2: Delete Paragraph (3) of the preamble. [15-17]
Recommendation 3: Amend Article 22 to include proportionality and prevent it from applying to multi-national platforms that have not committed an offence under Article 6 to 16. [18-19]
Recommendation 4: Delete Article 13 in its entirety. If the provision is nonetheless retained, amend Article 13 to exclude conduct that does not unduly risk harm to a child and has a legitimate purpose and to limit the risk of criminalizing non-exploitive conduct of children, an unduly expanded range of prohibited content, and the creation, possession or sharing of prohibited content in non-exploitive circumstances [due to a lack of context]. [21-27]
Recommendation 5: Delete Article 14 in its entirety. If the provision is nonetheless retained, amend Article 14 to limit the risk of criminalizing activities of children who are above the age of consent but still captured by the Draft Text, of criminalizing people seeking or imparting information regarding sexual and reproductive health, and of the use of these provisions to discriminate against same-sex interactions. [25-27]
Recommendation 6: Consider the appropriateness of including Article 15. If the provision is retained, amend Article 15 to mitigate the risk of criminalizing survivors particularly where the perpetrator is an authority figure, to center the lack of freely given consent, to criminalize the non-consensual capturing of intimate images and to exempt conduct that is a matter of public interest or for a legitimate purpose related to the administration of justice. [28-31]
Recommendation 7: Amend Articles 6-10 so that: fraudulent or otherwise malicious intent conduct must result in serious harm or damage in order to be criminalized, bypassing technical safeguards is a core element of each criminal act, and a public interest exception is included. [32-33]
Recommendation 8: Amend Article 5 so that it ensures the Proposed Convention does not threaten human rights and to mainstream a gender perspective and take into consideration the circumstances of persons and groups who face discrimination and marginalization, amend the preamble to add Paragraph 9bis recognizing the important role of civil society, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the international human rights mechanisms in the implementation of the Proposed Convention, and amend Paragraphs 11 and 12 of the preamble so that international human rights law and standards are reflected. [35-38]
Recommendation 9: Amend Articles 21, 23, 24 and 35 to align the Draft Text's core safeguards regarding due process, investigative powers and international cooperation with international human rights law including through incorporation of the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and dual criminality. [39-43]
Recommendation 10: Delete Articles 23(2)(b) and 23(2)(c), and amend Articles 35(1), 40(1), 40(4), 41(1), 45(2), 47(1) and 47(1)(b)(if retained) so that international cooperation and mutual legal assistance are limited to in scope to offences established in accordance with Articles 6 to 16 of the Draft Text. [45-50]
Recommendation 11: Amend Article 40(4) to exclude proactive cross-border disclosure of personal data, amend Articles 42-46 so that mutual legal assistance is carried out in accordance with safeguards and limitations set out in Chapter IV of the Draft Text, amend Articles 44 and 45 to allow refusal of requests for mutual legal assistance on the basis of the grounds contained in Article 40(21), remove Articles 47(1)(b) and (c), remove Article 47(1)(g) or, at minimum, amend it to exclude any sharing of personal data, amend Article 47(1)(d) to remove information sharing regarding the use of privacy-enhancing tools, and amend Article 54 to incorporate safeguards against human rights abuses. [51-56]
Recommendation 1: Delete Article 17 in its entirety. [6-14]
Recommendation 2: Delete Paragraph (3) of the preamble. [15-17]
Recommendation 3: Amend Article 22 to include proportionality and prevent it from applying to multi-national platforms that have not committed an offence under Article 6 to 16. [18-19]
1. Each State Party shall adopt such measures as may be necessary and proportionate to establish its jurisdiction over the offences established in accordance with articles 6 to 16 of this Convention when:
…
6bis. This Article does not apply to any legal person who has committed no offence under Articles 6 to 16 may be held liable for the commission of such offences in accordance with Article 18.
Recommendation 4: Delete Article 13 in its entirety. If the provision is nonetheless retained, amend Article 13 to exclude conduct that does not unduly risk harm to a child and has a legitimate purpose and to limit the risk of criminalizing non-exploitive conduct of children, an unduly expanded range of prohibited content, and the creation, possession or sharing of prohibited content in non-exploitive circumstances [due to a lack of context]. [21-27]
Article 13(2)bis: No person shall be convicted of an offence under this article if the act that is alleged to constitute the offence:
(a) has a legitimate purpose related to the administration of justice or to science, medicine, education, or art; and
(b) does not pose an undue risk of harm to a child.
The inclusion of "controlling" and "facilitating" in 13(1)(c) and (d), respectively, could also lead to criminal liability for service providers acting as mere conduits. To avoid the risk of prosecution under this clause, intermediaries or controllers may implement preventative measures, like general monitoring of users or device-side scanning, which are disproportionate and undermine the human rights to freedom of expression and privacy.[28] We recommend amending Article 13(1)(c) to read "Knowingly Ppossessing or and and Article 13(1)(d) to read "Financing, facilitatingor profiting." Article 13 should also be amended to add "13(1bis): Nothing in this Article requires a service provider to monitor its services or affirmatively seek facts indicating infringing conduct."
The use of "sexual activity or pose" and "sexual activity" in Article 13(2)(a) problematically broadens the scope of criminalized activities. Core international instruments addressing CSAM are limited to criminalizing "explicit sexual activity" whereas "sexual activity" as a relative term is broader in scope.[29] This is particularly problematic as some jurisdictions define "sexual activity" broadly to include, for example, kissing of a child or even potentially kissing in the presence of a child.[30] Combined with other elements of Article 13, which criminalizes any material that "depicts or represents a child or a person appearing to be a child" engaging in "real or simulated" sexual activity or "in the presence" of sexual activity, this definition could criminalize many artistic, scientific, educational, or literary works that entail no exploitation of children and have no connection to the underlying harm intended to be addressed. Article 13 should not heighten the risk of capturing activity that is not graphic or explicit, such as kissing, by expanding the definition of CSAM in existing core international instruments. We would also suggest that the drafters consider adopting a closed definition of the activity being criminalized in the text of the Proposed Convention.[31]
The vagueness of these terms could result in criminalizing legitimate content under the following circumstances: parents sending photos of a child's sexual organs to a doctor ahead of a consult or as part of a telehealth appointment, adolescents who are above the age of consent but defined as children under this Proposed Convention sharing content of a sexual nature consensually, children seeking access to sexual and reproductive health information, or even family capturing photos of intimate, private moments, photos that when stripped of context could be interpreted as falling under the broad definition of CSAM.[32]
The Draft Text appears to address this by offering optional protections for expression in Article 13(3), allowing States to limit laws to instances featuring a real child or visual depictions. We are concerned that given the discretionary nature, this section does not provide a strong enough protection against infringements on artistic or literary expression.
Recommendation 5: Delete Article 14 in its entirety. If the provision is nonetheless retained, amend Article 14 to limit the risk of criminalizing activities of children who are above the age of consent but still captured by the Draft Text, of criminalizing people seeking or imparting information regarding sexual and reproductive health, and of the use of these provisions to discriminate against same-sex interactions. [25-27]
Recommendation 6: Consider the appropriateness of including Article 15. If the provision is retained, amend Article 15 to mitigate the risk of criminalizing survivors particularly where the perpetrator is an authority figure, to center the lack of freely given consent, to criminalize the non-consensual capturing of intimate images and to exempt conduct that is a matter of public interest or for a legitimate purpose related to the administration of justice. [28-31]
1. Each State Party shall adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to establish as criminal offences under its domestic law, when committed intentionally and without right, the recording, offering, selling, distributing, transmitting, publishing or otherwise making available of an intimate image of a person by means of [a computer system] [an information and communications technology device], without the freely given consent of the person depicted in the image.
2. For the purpose of paragraph 1, "intimate image" shall mean a visual recording or representation of a natural person made by any means, including a photograph, film or video recording in which the person is nude, is exposing their genital organs, anal region or breasts, or is engaged in explicit sexual activity, and in respect of which, there was an absence of freely given consent at the time of the recording or disseminationthere were circumstances that gave rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Article 15(2)bis: No person shall be convicted of an offence under this article if the act that is alleged to constitute the offence has a legitimate purpose related to the administration of justice or a matter of the public interest;
Recommendation 7: Amend Articles 6-10 so that: fraudulent or otherwise malicious intent conduct must result in serious harm or damage in order to be criminalized, bypassing technical safeguards is a core element of each criminal act, and a public interest exception is included. [32-33]
Article 10bis. Limitations and Public interest exception
1. Articles 6-10 shall not apply to any person who uses or discloses information for the purpose of revealing a misconduct, wrongdoing, fraud, an illegal activity or a human rights violation or where a person acted in the public interest or for the purpose of protecting a general public interest.
2. A State Party shall require that the conduct described in paragraphs 1 of Articles 6 to 10 result in serious harm and that the offences in Articles 6 to 10 be committed by infringing security measures and with fraudulent or otherwise malicious intent.
Recommendation 8: Amend Article 5 so that it ensures the Proposed Convention does not threaten human rights and to mainstream a gender perspective and take into consideration the circumstances of persons and groups who face discrimination and marginalization, amend the preamble to add Paragraph 9bis recognizing the important role of civil society, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the international human rights mechanisms in the implementation of the Proposed Convention, and amend Paragraphs 11 and 12 of the preamble so that international human rights law and standards are reflected. [35-38]
Article 5. Respect for human rights
1.States Parties shall carry out ensure that the implementation of their obligations under this Convention is consistent with their obligationsin accordance with international human rights law, including but not limited to rights arising pursuant to their obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and additional protocols and other applicable international human rights instruments, and which shall incorporate the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality.
2. States Parties shall
(a) mainstream a gender perspective and to empower women and girls, and shall
(b) take into consideration the special circumstances and needs of persons and groups who face discrimination and marginalization in measures undertaken to prevent and combat [the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes] [cybercrime].
9bis Recognizing the role and participation of civil society, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the international human rights mechanisms as key to ensuring that the implementation of this Convention is human rights compliant.
(11) Mindful of the need to achieve law enforcement objectives and to ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as enshrined in applicable international and regional instruments, and international human rights law and standards,
Recommendation 9: Amend Articles 21, 23, 24 and 35 to align the Draft Text's core safeguards regarding due process, investigative powers and international cooperation with international human rights law including through incorporation of the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and dual criminality. [39-43]
21(3) Each State Party shall endeavour to ensure that any discretionary legal powers under its domestic law relating to the prosecution of persons for offences established in accordance with articles 6 to 16 of this Convention are exercised in order to maximize the effectiveness of law enforcement measures in respect of those offences and with due regard to the need to deter the commission of such offences and to promote environments conducive to non-offending and rehabilitation of offenders.
4. Each State Party shall ensure that any person prosecuted for offences established in accordance with articles 6 to 16 of this Convention enjoys all rights and guarantees in conformity with domestic law and consistent with the obligations of the State Party under international human rights law, including the right to a fair trial, the right to the presumption of innocence, and the rights of defence and incorporating the principles of legality, strict necessity and proportionality.
23(1) Each State Party shall adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to establish the powers and procedures provided for in this chapter for the purpose of specific criminal investigations or proceedings.
35(1) States Parties shall cooperate with each other in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, as well as other applicable international instruments on international cooperation in criminal matters, and domestic laws, for the purpose of specific investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings concerning offences established in accordance with articles 6 to 16 of this Convention…
1bis. Cooperation between State Parties shall be in compliance with international human rights law, incorporating at a minimum the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality, shall respect the principle of dual criminality, and shall occur only where resulting prosecutions shall be in compliance with international human rights law, including the right to a fair trial, the right to the presumption of innocence, and the rights of defense.
2. In matters of international cooperation, whenever the principle of dual criminality isshall beconsidered a requirement, andit shall be deemed fulfilled irrespective of whether the laws…
Recommendation 10: Delete Articles 23(2)(b) and 23(2)(c), and amend Articles 35(1), 40(1), 40(4), 41(1), 45(2), 47(1) and 47(1)(b)(if retained) so that international cooperation and mutual legal assistance are limited to in scope to offences established in accordance with Articles 6 to 16 of the Draft Text. [45-50]
Article 40(4) authorizing State Parties to proactively share information should replace "information relating to criminal matters" with "information relevant to specific investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings of offences established in accordance with Articles 6 to 16 of this Convention."
45(2) Each State Party shall provide such assistance at leastwith respect to criminal offences for which real-time collection of traffic data would be available in a similar domestic case andwhich are established in accordance with Articles 6 to 16 of this Convention.
Recommendation 11: Amend Article 40(4) to exclude proactive cross-border disclosure of personal data, amend Articles 42-46 so that mutual legal assistance is carried out in accordance with safeguards and limitations set out in Chapter IV of the Draft Text, amend Articles 44 and 45 to allow refusal of requests for mutual legal assistance on the basis of the grounds contained in Article 40(21), remove Articles 47(1)(b) and (c), remove Article 47(1)(g) or, at minimum, amend it to exclude any sharing of personal data, amend Article 47(1)(d) to remove information sharing regarding the use of privacy-enhancing tools, and amend Article 54 to incorporate safeguards against human rights abuses. [51-56]
Amend Article 40(4) by adding "… State Party may, without prior request, transmit information relating to criminal matters to a competent authority in another State Party where … could result in a request formulated by the latter State Party pursuant to this Convention andwhere the information does not include any personal data."
Article 46bis. Safeguards and limitations
1. Mutual legal assistance provided further to Articles 42 to 46 shall be governed by the conditions and procedures provided for under domestic law, limitations imposed in Articles 25 to 30, and safeguards and conditions imposed in Article 24, and shall only be provided to the extent permitted under applicable treaties and domestic law.
2. Mutual legal assistance provided further to Articles 42 to 46 shall respect conditions and limitations imposed in Articles 35 and 40 and shall be subject to refusal on the basis of the grounds contained in Article 40(21).
Articles 47(1)(b) and (c) be removed and that Article 47(1)(f) be limited in application to "exchange of information that is not personal data" or removed altogether. Article 47(1)(d) should be amended to remove "and other means of concealing activities."
[1] United Nations Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes, "Draft Text of the Convention," A/AC.291/22, May 29, 2023, https://undocs.org/en/A/AC.291/22 (accessed August 20, 2023).
[2] Privacy International and Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Comments on the Draft Text of the UN Cybercrime Convention: Chapters IV, V & VII, July 2023," https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/6th_Session/Submissions/Multi-stakeholders/Privacy_Intl_EFF.pdf. (accessed August 20, 2023); ARTICLE 19, "Comments on the "Zero Draft" of the UN Cybercrime Convention," July 2023, https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ARTICLE-19-analysis-of-the-Cybercrime-Convention-Zero-Draft-Final.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[3] UN General Assembly, "Implementing the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms through providing a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders and ensuring their protection," Resolution 74/146, A/RES/74/146, https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/74/146 (accessed August 20, 2023); Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peace and assembly and of association, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, and Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, "Libya: Comments on the Anti-Cybercrime Law," LBY 3/2022, March 31, 2022, https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=27150 (accessed August 20, 2023); "Abuse of Cybercrime Measures Taints UN Talks," Human Rights Watch news release, May 5, 2021, https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/05/05/abuse-cybercrime-measures-taints-un-talks; Association for Progressive Communications, "GIS Watch 2017: Unshackling Expression: A Study of Laws Criminalising Expression Online in Asia," 2017, https://www.giswatch.org/sites/default/files/giswspecial2017_web.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[4] "Explanatory Report to the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems," ETS No.189, January 28, 2003, https://rm.coe.int/1680989b1c (accessed August 20, 2023). We note that content offences in general have historically raised significant freedom of expression concerns, and these are heightened with respect to the online dimensions and treatment of these offences. See Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), "Key-messages relating to a comprehensive International Convention on countering the use of Information and Communications Technologies for criminal purposes," January 17, 2022, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/First_session/OHCHR_17_Jan.pdf, (accessed August 20, 2023), p. 2.
[5] ICERD has 182 States Parties. An additional 3 States have signed ICERD. See "Status of Ratification Interactive Dashboard: Ratification of 18 International Human Rights Treaties," OHCHR website, accessed August 202, 2023, https://indicators.ohchr.org/. International Convention on Eliminating All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), adopted December 21, 1965, G.A. Res 2106 (XX)A annex, 20 UN G.A.O.R. Supp. (No. 14) 47, U.N. Doc. A/RES/2106(XX)[A] Annex, (1966), 660 U.N.T.S. 195, entered into force January 4, 1969, https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-convention-elimination-all-forms-racial (accessed August 20, 2023).
[6] "Explanatory Report to the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems," ETS No.189, January 28, 2003, https://rm.coe.int/1680989b1c (accessed August 20, 2023).
[7] Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, A/74/486, October 9, 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/74/486, (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 8.
[8] UN General Assembly, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, A/67/357, September 7, 2012, https://undocs.org/en/A/67/357, (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 51-52; UN General Assembly, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, A/74/486, October 9, 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/74/486, (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 1 and 4; ARTICLE 19, "Central Asia: Freedom of expression online," January 1, 2022, https://www.article19.org/central-asia-freedom-of-expression-online/ (accessed August 20, 2023); "How are the Authorities in Central Asia Trying to Control the Internet?," Human Rights Watch news release, November 18, 2021, https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/11/18/how-are-authorities-central-asia-trying-control-internet; Human Rights Watch, False Freedom: Online Censorship in the Middle East and North Africa (New York: Human Rights Watch, 2005), https://www.hrw.org/report/2005/11/14/false-freedom/online-censorship-middle-east-and-north-africa; Human Rights Watch, Online and On All Fronts Russia's Assault on Freedom of Expression (New York: Human Rights Watch, 2017), https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/07/18/online-and-all-fronts/russias-assault-freedom-expression; Association for Progressive Communications, "GIS Watch 2017: Unshackling Expression: A Study of Laws Criminalising Expression Online in Asia," 2017, https://www.giswatch.org/sites/default/files/giswspecial2017_web.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[9] For example, a "without right" qualification was added, in part to make clear that "Legitimate and common activities inherent in the design of networks, or legitimate and common operating or commercial practices not be criminalized." See "Explanatory Report to the Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems," ETS No.189, January 28, 2003, https://rm.coe.int/1680989b1c (accessed August 20, 2023). The Draft Text adopts a similarly narrow scope of liability for private sector actors such as service providers. Article 18 is limited to imposing liability for participation that is of a criminal character (e.g. aiding and abetting, instigation, assisting, etc). But Article 18 does not apply to offences adopted by virtue of Article 17.
[10] ICERD, art 4(a), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1965, requires States Parties to criminalize the "dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, incitement to racial discrimination, as well as all acts of violence or incitement to such acts against any race or group of persons of another colour or ethnic origin."
[11] "Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalization of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems," ETS No. 189, January 28, 2003, https://rm.coe.int/168008160f, (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 2 and 3.
[12] ICERD, art 20(2): "A reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of this Convention shall not be permitted, nor shall a reservation the effect of which would inhibit the operation of any of the bodies established by this Convention be allowed. A reservation shall be considered incompatible or inhibitive if at least two thirds of the States Parties to this Convention object to it."
[13] International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Secretariat Study Group on Cybersecurity, "Draft Study on the Applicability of International Air Law Instruments to Cyber Threats against Civil Aviation," https://www.icao.int/Meetings/LC38/References/SSGC-RSGLEG%20Draft%20Study%20on%20the%20Applicability%20of%20IAL%20to%20Cyber%20Threats%20Against%20Civil%20Aviation.pdf, (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 1.4.3.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid, paras. 4.5.1-4.5.2; Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention Committee (T-CY), "Aspects of Terrorism covered by the Budapest Convention," T-CY (2016)11, November 15, 2016, https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=09000016806bd640 (accessed August 20, 2023).
[16] Articles 18-22 do not apply to offences adopted by operation of Article 17.
[17] UN General Assembly, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, A/HRC/40/52, March 1, 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/40/52 (accessed August 20, 2023); ARTICLE 19, "Comments on the Consolidated Negotiating Document on the Elaboration of a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes," January 2023, https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ARTICLE-19-analysis-of-the-Cybercrime-Convention-Negotiating-Document-January-2023.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023); "Statement to the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime," Human Rights Watch, March 1, 2022, https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/03/01/human-rights-watchs-statement-ad-hoc-committee-cybercrime; Letta Tayler, "India's Abuses at Home Raise Concerns About Its Global Counterterrorism Role," Just Security, October 27, 2022, https://www.justsecurity.org/83787/indias-abuses-at-home-raise-concerns-about-its-global-counterterrorism-role/ (accessed August 20, 2023); Human Rights Watch, In a Legal Black Hole: Sri Lanka's Failure to Reform the Prevention of Terrorism Act (New York: Human Rights Watch, 2022), https://www.hrw.org/report/2022/02/07/legal-black-hole/sri-lankas-failure-reform-prevention-terrorism-act; Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, "Abusive "Counterterrorism" Crackdowns Choke Independent Civil Society in the Middle East," Just Security, August 25, 2022, https://www.justsecurity.org/82813/abusive-counterterrorism-crackdowns-choke-independent-civil-society-in-the-middle-east/ (accessed August 20, 2023); "Saudi Arabia: New Counterterrorism Law Enables Abuse," Human Rights Watch news release, November 23, 2017, https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/11/23/saudi-arabia-new-counterterrorism-law-enables-abuse (accessed August 20, 2023); Nadim Houry, "France's Creeping Terrorism Laws Restricting Free Speech," Just Security, May 30, 2018, https://www.justsecurity.org/57118/frances-creeping-terrorism-laws-restricting-free-speech/ (accessed August 20, 2023).
[18] United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, "Global Study on the Impact of Counter-Terrorism on Civil Society & Civic Space," https://unglobalstudy.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/SRCT_GlobalStudy.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[19] ARTICLE 19, "New Internet Law in Turkey Will Threaten Freedom of Expression," July 18, 2020, https://www.article19.org/resources/turkey-new-internet-law-threatens-freedom-of-expression-online/ (accessed July 18, 2023); ARTICLE 19, "New Censorship Threat with Elections Looming," October 14, 2022, https://www.article19.org/resources/turkey-dangerous-dystopian-new-legal-amendments/ (accessed July 18, 2023); "Indonesia: Suspend, Revise New Internet Regulation," Human Rights Watch news release, May 21, 2021, https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/05/21/indonesia-suspend-revise-new-internet-regulation; "Vietnam: Withdraw Problematic Cyber Security Law," Human Rights Watch news release, June 7, 2018, https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/06/07/vietnam-withdraw-problematic-cyber-security-law; "Jordan: Scrap Draconian Cybercrimes Bill," Human Rights Watch news release, July 24, 2023, https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/07/24/jordan-scrap-draconian-cybercrimes-bill.
[20] Draft Text, art. 22.
[21] UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, A/HRC/32/38, May 11, 2016, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/32/38, (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 40 and 61; UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Internet Shutdowns: trends, causes, legal implications and impacts on a range of human rights, A/HRC/50/55, May 13, 2022, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/50/55 (accessed August 20, 2023). See also UN Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 34, Freedoms of opinion and expression, CCPR/C/GC/34, 2011, https://undocs.org/en/CCPR/C/GC/34 (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 39.
[22] See, for example, Microsoft v. United States, 829 F.3d 197, United State Court of Appeals Second Circuit, July 14, 2016, https://casetext.com/case/microsoft-corp-v-united-states-in-re-a-warrant-to-search-a-certain-endashmail-account-controlled-maintained-by-microsoft-corp (accessed August 20, 2023); United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), "The State of International Cooperation for Lawful Access to Digital Evidence: Research Perspective," January 2022, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/sites/www.un.org.securitycouncil.ctc/files/files/documents/2022/Jan/cted_trends_report_lawful_access_to_digital_data_.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 17-18.
[23] "Abuse of Cybercrime Measures Taints UN Talks," Human Rights Watch news release, May 5, 2021, https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/05/05/abuse-cybercrime-measures-taints-un-talks (accessed August 20, 2023); Afsaneh Rigot, "Digital Crime Scenes," Berkman Klein Center, March 7, 2022, https://cyber.harvard.edu/publication/2022/digital-crime-scenes (accessed July 24, 2023); Human Rights Watch,"All This Terror Because of a Photo:" Digital Targeting and Its Offline Consequences for LGBT People in the Middle East and North Africa (New York: Human Rights Watch, 2023), https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/02/21/all-terror-because-photo/digital-targeting-and-its-offline-consequences-lgbt (accessed August 20, 2023); "Jordan's New Cybercrime Law is a Disaster for LGBT People," Human Rights Watch news release, August 14, 2023, https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/14/jordans-new-cybercrime-law-disaster-lgbt-people (accessed August 20, 2023); Association for Progressive Communications, "Unshackling Expression: A Study of Laws Criminalising Expression Online in Asia," 2017, https://www.giswatch.org/sites/default/files/giswspecial2017_web.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[24] Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, "Key-messages relating to a comprehensive International Convention on countering the use of Information and Communications Technologies for criminal purposes," January 17, 2022, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/First_session/OHCHR_17_Jan.pdf, (accessed August 20, 2023); Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Third Intersessional Consultation, November 3-4, 2022, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/Third_intersessional_consultation/Presentations/Panel_1_OHCHR.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023): "as experience has shown, if treaty provisions are not precisely drafted, in line with human rights requirements, it opens the door for an implementation into national law that goes beyond what's acceptable from a human rights perspective."
[25] See, for example, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 20, The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence, CRC/C/GC/20, (2016) https://undocs.org/en/CRC/C/GC/20, (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 40: "States should avoid criminalizing adolescents of similar ages for factually consensual and non-exploitative sexual activity."
[26] Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OP-CRC-AC), adopted May 25, 2000, G.A. Res. 54/263, Annex II, 54, U.N. GOAR Supp. (No. 49A) at 6, U.N. Doc. A/45/49, Vol. III (2000), entered into force January 18, 2002, https://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/OPSCCRC.aspx (accessed July 17, 2023); See also Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), adopted November 20, 1989, G.A. Res 44/25, annex, 44 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 167, U.N. Doc. A/44/49 (1989) entered into force September 2, 1990, https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx (accessed July 17, 2023), art. 19.
[27] While Article 13(1) is limited to conduct that is "without right" this term, as discussed above, is not sufficiently precise to require exclusion of legitimate activity. It is left to the discretion of States whether to exclude attempts by survivors to report CSAM activity to law enforcement or platforms, documentation or trend analysis of CSAM distribution chains, preservation of evidence by platforms, and other activity. There should be no latitude in this provision for State Parties to, for example, weaponize this provision in order to persecute LGBT survivors who are attempting to document and report their own abuse. Finally, the "without right" exception grants State Parties too much latitude when pursuing their own respective objectives, allowing government agencies, for example, to repurpose CSAM image repositories in order to test facial recognition systems without consent. See Os Keyes, Nikki Stevens, and Jacqueline Wernimont, "The Government is Using the Most Vulnerable People to Test Facial Recognition Software," Slate, March 17, 2019, https://slate.com/technology/2019/03/facial-recognition-nist-verification-testing-data-sets-children-immigrants-consent.html (accessed August 20, 2023).
[28] "Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime," ETS No. 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 105: "This article lists different types of illicit acts related to child pornography which, as in articles 2 - 8, Parties are obligated to criminalise if committed "intentionally." Under this standard, a person is not liable unless he has an intent to offer, make available, distribute, transmit, produce or possess child pornography. Parties may adopt a more specific standard (see, for example, applicable European Community law in relation to service provider liability), in which case that standard would govern. For example, liability may be imposed if there is "knowledge and control" over the information which is transmitted or stored. It is not sufficient, for example, that a service provider served as a conduit for, or hosted a website or newsroom containing such material, without the required intent under domestic law in the particular case. Moreover, a service provider is not required to monitor conduct to avoid criminal liability."
[29] OP-CRC-AC, art 2(c); Convention on Cybercrime, ETS No. 185, (2001), entered into force January 7, 2004, https://rm.coe.int/1680081561 (accessed August 20, 2023), art 9(2)(a)-(c). Note also "Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime," ETS No. 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b, (accessed August 20, 2023, para. 100.
[30] See, for example, discussion at James McNicol and Andreas Schloenhardt, "Australia's Child Sex Tourism Offences," Current Issues in Criminal Justice, vol. 23(3) (2012), https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/CICrimJust/2012/5.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 380-382; "Age of Consent to Sexual Activity," Government of Canada, Department of Justice, accessed August 20, 2023, https://justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/clp/faq.html.
[31] A closed definition could build on: "Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime," ETS No. 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 100.
[32] Kashmir Hill, "A Dad Took Photos of His Naked Toddler for the Doctor. Google Flagged Him as a Criminal," New York Times, August 21, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/21/technology/google-surveillance-toddler-photo.html (accessed August 20, 2023).
[33] "Rape in ASOIAF vs. Game of Thrones: a statistical analysis," post to Tumblr, 24 May 2015 (warning: graphic written descriptions) https://tafkarfanfic.tumblr.com/post/119770640640/rape-in-asoiaf-vs-game-of-thrones-a-statistical (accessed August 24, 2023).
[34] Robin Dunbar, "Science reveals secrets behind the success of Game of Thrones," Oxford News Blog, November 3, 2020, https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/arts-blog/science-reveals-secrets-behind-success-game-thrones (accessed August 24, 2023).
[35] UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 20, The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence, CRC/C/GC/20 (2016), https://undocs.org/en/CRC/C/GC/20 (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 40.
[36] "Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy," Human Rights Watch submission, October 19, 2020, https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/19/submission-human-rights-watch-un-special-rapporteur-right-privacy, paras. 16-20.
[37] Human Rights Watch, "All This Terror Because of a Photo": Digital Targeting and Its Offline Consequences for LGBT People in the Middle East and North Africa (New York: Human Rights Watch, 2023), https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/02/21/all-terror-because-photo/digital-targeting-and-its-offline-consequences-lgbt. For negative impact of CSAM offences on LGBT people beyond the MENA region See Derechos Digitales, "When protection becomes threat: Cybercrime regulation as a tool for silencing women and LGBTQIA+ people around the world," June 20, 2023, https://www.apc.org/en/node/38844/ (accessed August 20, 2023); and ARTICLE 19 et al, "Letter to INHOPE," January 20, 2020, https://www.article19.org/resources/inhope-members-reporting-artwork-as-child-sexual-abuse/ (accessed August 20, 2023).
[38] Human Rights Watch, "All This Terror Because of a Photo": Digital Targeting and Its Offline Consequences for LGBT People in the Middle East and North Africa (New York: Human Rights Watch, 2023), https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/02/21/all-terror-because-photo/digital-targeting-and-its-offline-consequences-lgbt.
[39] Afsaneh Rigot, "Digital Crime Scenes," Berkman Klein Center, March 7, 2022, https://cyber.harvard.edu/publication/2022/digital-crime-scenes (accessed July 24, 2023).
[40] Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted December 18, 1979, G.A. res. 34/180, 34 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 46) at 193, U.N. Doc. A/34/46, entered into force September 3, 1981, https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-elimination-all-forms-discrimination-against-women (accessed August 20, 2023). UN General Assembly, "Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilation," Resolution 71/168, A/RES/71/168, https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/71/168 (accessed August 20, 2023); UN Human Rights Council, "The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet," Resolution 32/13, A/HRC/RES/32/13, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/RES/32/13 (accessed August 20, 2023).
[41] CEDAW, art. 2(3); UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, General Comment No. 35, Gender-based Violence Against Women, CEDAW/C/GC/35, July 26, 2017, https://undocs.org/en/CEDAW/C/GC/35 (accessed August 20, 2023).
[42] ARTICLE 19, "The Global Principles on Protection of Freedom of Expression and Privacy, March 2017, https://www.article19.org/data/files/medialibrary/38657/Expression-and-Privacy-Principles-1.pdf, (accessed August 20, 2023), Principles 3 and 13.
[43] R v. Jarvis, Supreme Court of Canada, 1 SCR 488, Judgment, February, 14, 2019, https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/17515/index.do (accessed August 24, 2023), paras. 54-56; Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46, ss. 162.1(2)(c).
[44] ARTICLE 19, "Global Principles on Protection of Freedom of Expression and Privacy," March 2017, https://www.article19.org/data/files/medialibrary/38657/Expression-and-Privacy-Principles-1.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023): defines "public interest" as encompassing "matters in which the public has an interest or concern of being informed. This includes, but is by no means limited to, information about matters that affect the functioning of the state, public officials and public figures, politics, public health and safety, law enforcement and the administration of justice, the protection of human rights, consumer and social interests, the environment, economic issues, the exercise of power, art and culture, or matters that affect general interests or entail major consequences."
[45] Note that the Budapest Convention and Article 6 of the Draft Text use the term "dishonest intent" to signify the same intent requirement and provides examples of its scope. See, for example, "Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime," ETS No, 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 90.
[46] United States v Nosal, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 828 F.3d 865 (2016), https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-nosal-28 (accessed August 20, 2023).
[47] Peter G Berris, "Cybercrime and the Law: Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and the 116th Congress," Congressional Research Service, September 21, 2020, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46536 (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 24-26.
[48] "Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime," ETS No, 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 38.
[49] Jamie Williams, "New Federal Guidelines for Computer Crime Law Do Nothing to Reign in Prosecutorial Overreach Under Notoriously Vague Statute", Electronic Frontier Foundation, October 31, 2016, https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/10/what-were-scared-about-halloween-prosecutorial-discretion-under-notoriously-vague (accessed August 20, 2023); Marcia Hoffman, "In the Wake of Aaron Swartz's Death, Let's Fix Draconian Computer Crime Law," Electronic Frontier Foundation, January 14, 2013, https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/01/aaron-swartz-fix-draconian-computer-crime-law (accessed August 20, 2023); Katitza Rodriguez and Aaron Mackey, "Dear Canada: Accessing Publicly Available Information on the Internet is Not a Crime," Electronic Frontier Foundation, April 19, 2018, https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/04/dear-canada-accessing-publicly-available-information-internet-not-crime (accessed August 20, 2023); Cindy Cohn, "Raid on COVID Whistleblower in Florida Shows the Need to Reform Overbroad Computer Crime Laws and the Risks of Over-Reliance on IP Addresses," Electronic Frontier Foundation, December 10, 2020, https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/raid-covid-whistleblower-florida-shows-need-reform-overbroad-computer-crime-laws (accessed August 20, 2023); Amie Stepanovich, "Testimony Before the Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules on the Matter of Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 41," Access Now, https://www.accessnow.org/wp-content/uploads/archive/docs/Rule41botnettestimony.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[50] Facebook v. Power Ventures, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 844 F.3d 1058, Amended Decision, September 12, 2016 https://www.eff.org/files/2016/12/14/facebook_v._power_ventures_-_amended_decision.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[51] Nate Cardozo, Kurt Opsahl, Katitza Rodriguez, Ramiro Ugarte and Jamie Lee Williams, "Protecting Security Researchers' Rights in the Americas," Electronic Frontier Foundation, September 2018, https://www.eff.org/files/2018/10/09/protecting_security_researchers_rights_in_the_americas-eff.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[52] United States v. Nosal, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 828 F.3d 865 (2016), https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-nosal-28 (accessed August 20, 2023).
[53] See Brief for the National Whistleblower Center, Amicus Curiae, in Van Buren v. United States, Supreme Court of the United States, File No 19-783, https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-783/147217/20200708130837153_NWC%20Main%20Document.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023); Bill Chappell and Rachel Treisman, "Data Scientist Rebekah Jones, Facing Arrest, Turns Herself in to Florida Authorities," NPR, January 18, 2021, https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/18/957914495/data-scientist-rebekah-jones-facing-arrest-turns-herself-in-to-florida-authoriti (accessed August 20, 2023); April Boyer, Jonathan B Morton and Rio J Gonzalez, "SCOTUS Resolves Circuit Split, Limits Scope of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act," National Law Review, vol. 13 (209) (2023), https://www.natlawreview.com/article/scotus-resolves-circuit-split-limits-scope-computer-fraud-and-abuse-act (accessed August 20, 2023).
[54] Summer Walker, "Still Poles Apart: UN Cybercrime Treaty Negotiations," June 2023, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, https://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-Walker-Poles-apart-UN-cybercrime-treaty-negotiations-GI-TOC-June-2023.pdf, (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 5-6.
[55] Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, "Key-messages relating to a comprehensive International Convention on countering the use of Information and Communications Technologies for criminal purposes," January 17, 2022, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/First_session/OHCHR_17_Jan.pdf, (accessed August 20, 2023); Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes Third Intersessional Consultation, "Statement of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights," November 2022, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/Third_intersessional_consultation/Presentations/Panel_1_OHCHR.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023): "as experience has shown, if treaty provisions are not precisely drafted, in line with human rights requirements, it opens the door for an implementation into national law that goes beyond what's acceptable from a human rights perspective."
[56] For a compendium of relevant international and regional human rights standards, resolutions, and jurisprudence, see Privacy International, "Guide to International Law and Surveillance," January 31, 2022, https://privacyinternational.org/report/4780/pis-guide-international-law-and-surveillance (accessed August 20, 2023). See also UN Human Rights Committee, "Concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of the United States of America," CCPR/C/USA/CO/4, April 23, 2014, https://undocs.org/en/CCPR/C/USA/CO/4 (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 22(a): "…measures should be taken to ensure that any interference with the right to privacy complies with the principles of legality, proportionality and necessity…"; UN General Assembly, Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, A/77/196, July 20, 2022, https://undocs.org/en/A/77/196 (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 1-11.
[57] UN General Assembly Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Discussion Guide, A/CONF.222/PM.1, July 19, 2013, https://undocs.org/en/A/CONF.222/PM.1 (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 47(e) and 80.
[58] UN Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 35, Liberty and Security of Person, CCPR/C/GC/35 (2014), https://undocs.org/en/CCPR/C/GC/35 (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 12, 22-25 and 33-35: "An arrest or detention…must be interpreted…to include elements of inappropriateness, injustice, lack of predictability and due process of law, as well as elements of reasonableness, necessity and proportionality."); UN Human Rights Committee, General Comment No.32, Right to equality before courts and tribunals and to a fair trial, CCPR/C/GC/32, August 23, 2007, https://undocs.org/en/CCPR/C/GC/32 (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 30; "The presumption of innocence, which is fundamental to the protection of human rights, imposes on the prosecution the burden of proving the charge, guarantees that no guilt can be presumed until the charge has been proved beyond reasonable doubt, ensures that the accused has the benefit of doubt, and requires that persons accused of a criminal act must be treated in accordance with this principle."
[59] Convention on Cybercrime, ETS No. 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/1680081561 (accessed August 20, 2023), art 14(1); Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime, ETS No. 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 135, 152 and 181-182: "As the powers and procedures in this Section are for the purpose of specific criminal investigations or proceedings (Article 14), production orders are to be used in individual cases concerning, usually, particular subscribers. For example, on the basis of the provision of a particular name mentioned in the production order, a particular associated telephone number or e-mail address may be requested. On the basis of a particular telephone number or e-mail address, the name and address of the subscriber concerned may be ordered. The provision does not authorize Parties to issue a legal order to disclose indiscriminate amounts of the service provider's subscriber information about groups of subscribers e.g. for the purpose of data-mining." We note also that decisions allowing interference with the right to privacy must be made on a case-by-case basis: UN Human Rights Committee, Lula da Silva v Brazil, CCPR/C/134/D/2841/2016, May 24, 2022, https://undocs.org/en/CCPR/C/134/D/2841/2016%20(FINAL%20PROCEEDINGS) (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 8.7; UN Human Rights Committee, General Comment No 16, The Right to Privacy, (1988), https://www.refworld.org/docid/453883f922.html (accessed August 24, 2023), para. 8.
[60] Privacy International and Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Comments on the Draft Text of the UN Cybercrime Convention: Chapters IV, V & VII," July 2023, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/6th_Session/Submissions/Multi-stakeholders/Privacy_Intl_EFF.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 3-5.
[61] Article 21 (due process) is limited in application to offences set out in Article 6 to 16 of the Draft Text. Article 24 (conditions and safeguards) only applies to measures adopted in accordance with Chapter IV.
[62] Privacy International and Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Comments on the Draft Text of the UN Cybercrime Convention: Chapters IV, V & VII," July 2023, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/6th_Session/Submissions/Multi-stakeholders/Privacy_Intl_EFF.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 7-8.
[63] We note parenthetically that the formulation used in Articles 35(1) and 41(1) to bring offences covered by Article 17 within the scope of the Proposed Convention ("serious crimes, including offences covered by article 17 of this Convention when applicable") could create the unintended problem of rendering any offence adopted by means of Article 17 into a "serious offence."
[64] Privacy International and Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Comments on the Draft Text of the UN Cybercrime Convention: Chapters IV, V & VII," July 2023, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/6th_Session/Submissions/Multi-stakeholders/Privacy_Intl_EFF.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023); ARTICLE 19, "Comments on the "Zero Draft" of the UN Cybercrime Convention," July 2023, https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ARTICLE-19-analysis-of-the-Cybercrime-Convention-Zero-Draft-Final.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[65] Article 21 applies to offence established in accordance with Articles 6 to 16, and has no application to offences incorporated into the Draft Text by virtue of Article 17 or because these provisions constitute "serious crimes" under Article 35.
[66] Article 24 is limited in application to the "establishment, implementation and application" of powers and procedures provided for in Chapter IV of the Draft Text.
[67] United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), "The State of International Cooperation for Lawful Access to Digital Evidence: Research Perspective," CTED Trends Report, January 2022, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/sites/www.un.org.securitycouncil.ctc/files/files/documents/2022/Jan/cted_trends_report_lawful_access_to_digital_data_.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 22-23.
[68] Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime, ETS No. 185, November 23, 2001, https://rm.coe.int/16800cce5b (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 301: "among the critical tasks to be carried out by the 24/7 contact is the ability to facilitate the rapid execution of those functions it does not carry out directly itself. For example, if a Party's 24/7 contact is part of a police unit, it must have the ability to co-ordinate expeditiously with other relevant components within its government, such as the central authority for international extradition or mutual assistance, in order that appropriate action may be taken at any hour of the day or night." See also Thomas Dougherty, "G7 24/7 Cybercrime Network," presentation at the International conference organized by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Information and Communication Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT), https://rm.coe.int/1680303ce2 (accessed August 20, 2023), slide 6: "To use this Network, law enforcement agents seeking assistance from a foreign Participant may contact the 24-hour point of contact in their own state or autonomous law enforcement jurisdiction, and this individual or entity will, if appropriate, contact his or her counterpart in the foreign Participant. Participants in the Network have committed to make their best efforts to ensure that Internet Service Providers freeze the information sought by a requesting Participant as quickly as possible. Participants have further committed to make their best efforts to produce information expeditiously. This is subject to the understanding that a requested Participant's legal, technical or resource considerations may affect the extent to which - and the time frame within which - the Participant may produce evidence, as well as the process of Mutual Legal Assistance, by which the requesting country seeks release of that information though the usual MLAT or Letters of Request procedure."
[69] Privacy International and Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Comments on the Draft Text of the UN Cybercrime Convention: Chapters IV, V & VII," July 2023, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/6th_Session/Submissions/Multi-stakeholders/Privacy_Intl_EFF.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 9-10.
[70] United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, "The State of International Cooperation for Lawful Access to Digital Evidence: Research Perspective," CTED Trends Report, January 2022, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/sites/www.un.org.securitycouncil.ctc/files/files/documents/2022/Jan/cted_trends_report_lawful_access_to_digital_data_.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[71] Ibid.
[72] UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, A/HRC/29/32, May 22, 2015, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/29/32 (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 47 et seq; Benedik v. Slovenia, European Court of Human Rights, App No 62357/14, Judgment, April 24, 2018, https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-182455 (accessed August 20, 2023), paras. 119 and 126-129; R v. Spencer, Supreme Court of Canada, [2014] 2 S.C.R. 212, Judgment, June 13, 2014, https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14233/index.do (accessed August 20, 2023).
[73] Human Rights Watch, Dark Side: Secret Origins of Evidence in US Criminal Cases (New York: Human Rights Watch, 2018), https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/01/09/dark-side/secret-origins-evidence-us-criminal-cases (accessed August 20, 2023).
[74] Privacy International and Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Comments on the Draft Text of the UN Cybercrime Convention: Chapters IV, V & VII," July 2023, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/6th_Session/Submissions/Multi-stakeholders/Privacy_Intl_EFF.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 11-12.
[75] For example, Interpol Red Notices are issued "in order to seek the location of a wanted person and his/her detention, arrest or restriction of movement" See INTERPOL, Rules on the Processing of Data, III/IRPD/GA/2011 (2019), https://www.interpol.int/en/content/download/5694/file/24%20E%20RPD%20UPDATE%207%2011%2019_ok.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), art. 81; see also art. 88 with respect to Blue notices). Interpol notices and diffusions are subject to advance screening including for human rights compliance by Interpol and review by the Commission for the Control of Interpol's Files (CCF), which is also currently reviewing Interpol's policies for personal data sharing in relation to Blue notices. See INTERPOL, "Activity Report for the Commission for the Control of Interpol's Files for 2021," CCF/122/12, https://www.interpol.int/en/content/download/18398/file/CCF%20Annual%20Report%20for%202021-ENG.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 16 and appendix, paras. 14-18. Each year, hundreds of red notices are found to be faulty and abuse of red notices has led to severe human rights violations, often as part of a broader campaign of surveillance and repression directed at diaspora communities. See Letter from Human Rights Watch to Interpol Secretary General Stock, "Re: Concerns Regarding Interpol and China," September 24, 2017, https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/24/letter-hrw-interpol-secretary-general-stock (accessed August 20, 2023); "Hakeem Al-Araibi's case is a true test of Fifa's new huma rights policy," Human Rights Watch news release, December 6, 2018, https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/12/06/hakeem-al-araibis-case-true-test-fifas-new-human-rights-policy; Human Rights Watch, World Report: Tajikistan: Events of 2018, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/tajikistan (accessed August 20, 2023); Yana Gorokhovskaia and Isabel Linzer, "Policy Responses to Transnational Repression," Freedom House, June 2022, https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/TransnationalRepressionReport2022_CaseStudy_United_States_NEW.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), p 9. Article 4(1)(b) provides no screening process, no vetting mechanisms, and does not even obligate agencies to provide sufficient data to assess the information-sharing mechanism is being abused. See also National Immigrant Justice Center, Cristosal, Access Now and International Human Rights & Conflict Resolution Clinic, Stanford Law School, "Request for an Investigation into the Department of Homeland Security's Reliance on Noncredible Information Provided by Human Rights Abusing Authorities in El Salvador," June 6, 2023, https://immigrantjustice.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-files/no-content-type/2023-08/Complaint%20Re%20El%20Salvador%20Data-Sharing%20Agreements%20-%20Web_0.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023).
[76] United States v. Carpenter, 585 US __ (Supreme Court of the United States, 2018), https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-402_h315.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), p. 20, per Kennedy, J, dissenting.
[77] Asylum seekers are particularly at risk of being exposed in this manner: J.S. v Australia, November 21, 2022, CCPR/C/135/D/2804/2016, https://undocs.org/en/CCPR/C/135/D/2804/2016 (accessed August 20, 2023), para. 8.2.
[78] ARTICLE 19, "Comments on the "Zero Draft" of the UN Cybercrime Convention," July 2023, https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ARTICLE-19-analysis-of-the-Cybercrime-Convention-Zero-Draft-Final.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 9-10.
[79] Privacy International and Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Comments on the Draft Text of the UN Cybercrime Convention: Chapters IV, V & VII," July 2023, https://www.unodc.org/documents/Cybercrime/AdHocCommittee/6th_Session/Submissions/Multi-stakeholders/Privacy_Intl_EFF.pdf (accessed August 20, 2023), pp. 13-14.