Various human rights organisations came together to sound the alarm on the inadequacies of the recent UN Convention Againct Cybercrime. The joint statement begins with:

“We, the undersigned organizations, remain deeply concerned that the UN Convention Against Cybercrime (UNCC) will facilitate human rights abuses across borders. As some states head to Hanoi for the UNCC signing ceremony from October 25-26, we urge them to refrain from signing and ratifying the treaty and to use the occasion to highlight the importance of safeguarding human rights when implementing this Convention.

The Convention, the first global treaty of its kind, extends far beyond addressing cybercrime – malicious attacks on computer networks, systems, and data. It obligates states to establish broad electronic surveillance powers to investigate and cooperate on a wide range of crimes, including those that don’t involve information and communication systems. It does so without adequate human rights safeguards.

The Convention will obligate governments to collect electronic evidence and share it with foreign authorities for any “serious crime,” defined as an offense punishable by at least four years of imprisonment under domestic law. Many governments criminalize activities protected by international human rights law and impose sentences that would make them “serious offenses” under this framework, such as criticism of the government, peaceful protest, same-sex relationships, investigative journalism, and whistleblowing.”

Read the full statement: Joint Statement on the Signing of the UN Convention on Cybercrime