Joint statement by like-minded countries at the UNGA Third Committee general discussion on agenda item 108 “Countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes”
The Member States (Russia, Belarus, Zimbabwe, DPRK, Cuba, Mali, Niger, Nicaragua, Syria, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan) advocate that the Openended Ad Hoc Committee of Governmental Experts on the Elaboration of a Comprehensive Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes should strictly implement its mandate under UNGA resolutions 74/247 and 75/282 and submit the draft convention to the UN General Assembly for consideration during its 78th session.
The Member States are firmly in favor of respecting the inviolable principles of the UN Charter. The future convention should provide conditions for the protection of state sovereignty and the realization of anti-crime objectives without compromising human rights.
The Member States emphasize that the comprehensive nature of the treaty, with broad criminalization of criminal acts and efficient procedural measures, and the collection and exchange of electronic evidence on a wide range of offences, meets the objectives of combating ICT crime.
The Member States are in favor of increasing international cooperation and providing mutual assistance. The convention should provide law enforcement officials of UN Member States with tools to counter the use of both current and new and emerging ICT technologies for criminal purposes.
The Member States also support the need to use the future universal convention to provide technical assistance to developing States in countering ICT crime, capacity building and technology transfer.
We call the interested Member States to join our joint statement.
Thank you for your attention!
