The Council of Europe Cybercrime Treaty

The Cybercrime Treaty is an international agreement created for the ostensible purpose of helping police cooperate on crimes that take place on the Internet. Unfortunately, the treaty, which was drafted with very little public input, requires signatory nations to cooperate with foreign dictatorships and give invasive new surveillance powers to law enforcement. It also lacks protections for privacy or other civil liberties, and applies far more broadly than to just the Internet. More. . .

News

• Jun. 17, 2004: US Senate to hold hearings on the Cybercrime Treaty  More information on the Senate hearings
• Nov. 17, 2003: President Bush sends the Cybercrime Treaty to the Senate for ratification  TreatyWatch.org's coverage on the Senate debate
• Feb. 7, 2002: Hate-crimes protocol released
• Nov. 23, 2001: Cybercrime Treaty opens for signatures
• Sept. 19, 2001: CoE ministers approve treaty
• May 25, 2001: CoE issues final draft of treaty

Treaty Documents

• Draft Declaration on Freedom of Communication on the Internet
• Hate-crimes protocol
• Full Text of the Treaty
• CoE Explanatory Memorandum on the Treaty
• Status of Treaty (Signatories and Ratification)
• Chart showing available treaty reservations

Comments and Letters on the Treaty

• Feb. 28, 2002 Coalition letter on the Second Protocol on Terrorist Messages
• Feb. 6, 2002 Coalition letter on the draft Hate-Crimes Protocol
• European Privacy Commissioners opinion criticizing treaty draft (April 2001)
• Comments of the ACLU, EPIC, and Privacy International on Draft 27 of the Proposed CoE Convention on Cybercrime (June 7, 2001)
• Dec. 12, 2000 Letter from Global Internet Liberty Campaign to Council of Europe
• Oct. 18, 2000 Letter from Global Internet Liberty Campaign to Council of Europe
• "Letter of Concern" about treaty from group of security practitioners and educators

Recent Press coverage

• Mass High Tech - Treaty to Take Cyber-Crimes to Task
• Reuters - Move to Ban Net 'Hate Speech' Draws Praise, Concern
• Wired - Beefed-Up Global Surveillance?

• CIO Magazine - An Imperfect Treaty

• More press coverage on the Cybercrime Treaty