2017-07-13

Ramallah

West Bank

The Civic Coalition for Monitoring the Legislative Process held an urgent meeting in the presence of representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and human rights institutions to discuss the Decree-Law No. (16) of 2017 on cybercrimes.

The meeting, which was held at the ICHR in Ramallah, stressed the gravity of the provisions of the decree-law on one’s rights and basic freedoms, particularly the right to expressing one’s opinion and the freedom of expression, the right to access information, and the right to the citizens’ privacy which is guaranteed by the amended Basic Law and the international treaties related to human rights.

The meeting called on the President to retract the Draft Decree-Law on Cybercrimes. The coalition emphasized that it is vital to conduct an extensive community discussion to endorse a modern cybercrime law that conforms to international human rights standards and the amended Basic Law, and guarantees the right of citizens to the freedom of opinion and expression and their right to privacy.

The participants pointed-out that they would endorse an e-crime law that protects the citizens’ rights, freedoms, financial accounts, reputation, inventions and publications, and that protects children against sexual exploitation on the Internet, provided that such a law guarantees the citizens’ right to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression and their right to privacy without any kind of harassment or unlawful restriction.