On 28 June 2022, the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC), within the framework of the CyberSouth project and in cooperation with the Lebanese Ministry of Justice, organised a National Workshop on the Second Addition Protocol to the Budapest Convention on enhanced co-operation and the disclosure of electronic evidence.
The aim of this on-line activity was to discuss the opportunities offered by the new protocol and identify possible application and gaps in the Lebanese legislative framework.
As cybercrime proliferates, electronic evidence is increasingly stored in different jurisdictions. The Second Additional Protocol is specifically designed to help law enforcement authorities obtain access to such electronic evidence, including direct cooperation with service providers and registrars, expedited means to obtain subscriber information and traffic data associated with criminal activity, and expedited cooperation in obtaining stored computer data in emergencies. All these tools are subject to international standards on human rights and rule of law safeguards.
The participants from the Lebanese institutions discussed the application of this new international instrument with the Council of Europe’s expert, reflecting on the national system and how to adapt it to the new challenges posed by cybercrime threats.
The CyberSouth project will continue working with Lebanon to consolidate the national legislative framework and next joint activity will focus on the provisions on international co-operation.
CyberSouth project webpage
Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC)
