Maldives enacts legislative changes to tackle rise in cybercrime

Maldives has enacted legislative amendments to criminalize cybercrime in order to tackle a rise in crimes perpetrated through social media or digital devices.

The amendments to the Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Act on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters were ratified by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday.

The amendments to the Penal Code formally recognize cybercrime within the legal framework and categorizes 10 activities as offenses of a cyber nature:

• Unauthorized access to computer systems
• Accessing unauthorized computer systems with the intention of committing a crime
• Intercepting unauthorized data on computer systems
• Interfering with unauthorized computer systems
• Misuse of computer systems or similar devices
• Acts of cyber violence
• Computer-related forgeries
• Acts of fraud and misrepresentation related to computer systems
• Infringement on copyright and associated rights

People found guilty of such offenses will be subject to upwards of one year in prison.

Meanwhile, the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act grants law enforcement agencies the authority to intercept personal information in response to cybercrimes and to access retained subscriber and communication data via a court order.

The legislature facilitates real-time data requests through a system to be established jointly by financial authorities and law enforcement agencies.

It also empowers law enforcement and financial authorities to freeze assets and halt financial transactions of suspects involved in scams, thereby preventing the misuse of funds when such incidents are reported.

Meanwhile, the amendments to the Act on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters sets forth new procedures aimed at improving the discovery of electronic evidence, the preservation and access of information stored in computing systems, and the real-time retrieval of traffic data. It also outlines methods for inspecting content data while seeking assistance from international partners.

The amendments also establish a dedicated 24/7 network designed to facilitate the exchange of information regarding crimes associated with computer data.

This initiative aims to streamline the process of obtaining electronic evidence through mutual assistance and delineates the specific areas in which such assistance will be sought.

The legislative amendments are aimed at tackling a rise in cybercrime in the Maldives.