Home

2014

The Meeting of The Commonwealth Law Ministers in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 5-8, adopted the Report of The Commonwealth Working Group of Experts on Cybercrime. The Working Group`s Report was originally finalised in July 2013, and was considered by Senior Officials of Commonwealth Law Ministers in September 2013.

2011

The Commonwealth Law Ministers met in Sydney, Australia, July 11-14. Law Ministers and Attorneys-General from 44 countries attended, and the Meeting addressed many challenging issues currently faced by member states, including cybercrime. The Ministers resolved on cybercrime as follows:

« a. to recognise the significant threat cybercrime poses to national security and law enforcement in all countries of the Commonwealth;

2. b.that the Commonwealth Secretariat form a multidisciplinary working group of experts to review the practical implications of cybercrime in the Commonwealth and identify the most effective means of international co-operation and enforcement, taking into account, amongst others, the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, without duplicating the work of other international bodies; and
   

3. c.that the Working Group collaborate with other international and regional bodies with a view to identifying best practice, educational material and training programmes for investigators, prosecutors and judicial officers.»
   

The Commonwealth Working Group of Experts was then established by the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Group met five times between January 2012 and May 2013, and the Report was finalised in July 2013.

2009

The Malta Commonwealth Third Country Training Proramme, on Legal Frameworks for Information and Communication Technologies, was held on Malta, June 15-20, 2009. This training course aimed also to provide an understanding of emerging issues and contemporary international dialogue on issues such as Broadcasting, and Interconnection, Internet Governance, Cybercrime and Jurisdiction.

A high-tech conference for police and prosecutors  in 15 Caribbean countries was held in Bermuda on August 28-29.

2002-2008

In an effort to harmonize computer related criminal law in the Commonwealth States, a model law was adopted at the Conference of Ministers in 2002. The model law, titled the Computer Related Crimes Act, shares the same framework as the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, to limit conflicting guidance. The model law serves as an example of common principles each State can use to adopt framework legislation compatible with other Commonwealth States.

A Meeting of Senior Officials of Commonwealth Law Ministers was held in October 2007. The meeting addressed laws to combat terrorism and money laundering.