Cybercrime policies/strategies
Lebanon adopted on the 30.08.2019 its national cybersecurity strategy.
Cybercrime legislation
State of cybercrime legislation
Lebanon has adopted the Law no 81/2018 related to Electronic Transactions and Personal Data.
Substantive law
The provisions on cybercrime, include the following:
- Art 17 of Law no 140/99 - illegal interception
- Art 110 of Law no 81/2018 - illegal access
- Art 112 of Law no 81/2018 - data and system interference
- Art 114 of Law no 81/2018 - misuse of devices
- Art 121 of Law no 81/2018 - computer related forgery
- Art 120 of Law no 81/2018 - child pornography
- Art 128 - 130 of Law no 81/2018 - Offences related to infringements of copyright and related rights
- Art 115 of Law no 81/2018 - Attempt and aiding or abetting
- Art 3 of Law no 81/2018 - Corporate liability
Procedural law
The framework for all cybercrime investigations is the Criminal Procedural Code.
Article 33 of the Code of Criminal Procedure enables search and seizure of physical objects and may enable seizure of computer systems and physical storage mediums.
Article 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure enables preservation of any traces, signs and evidence that may be lost and may apply in relation to computer data vulnerable to loss or modification.
A special procedure for cybercrime was added in the Law no 81/2018 articles 72-74 and 124.
Safeguards
The Lebanese Constitution guarantees public freedoms (Paragraph C of the Preamble), Personal freedom (Article 8), Freedom of speech and of the press (Article 13).
The Criminal Code also contains certain safeguards protecting the rights of the subject in the procedure of search and seizure.
In addition to that, the Law no. 81/2018 added some safeguards in art. 2, 66 and 121.
Related laws and regulations
- Law (No. 140/1999) on wiretapping;
- Law (no. 75/1999) related to the Protection of intellectual property - addresses part of the issue of computer security and especially piracy programs (Articles 83 to 89);
- Law (no. 431/2002) related to communication;
- Law related to patents (Article 240 August 7th, 2000);
- Draft law related to the electronic transactions. At the stage of final approval.
- Decisions (March 2000) and Regulations (July 2000) made by the Lebanon Central Bank related to the information technology security to manage electronic banking regulations.
Specialised institutions
The Office of Cybercrime and Intellectual Property has been created within the Internal Security Forces (ISF). It is responsible for identifying the crimes on the Web under the Lebanese Criminal Code (tax evasion, theft of title) and to trace the authors. The office includes, in its prerogatives, defamation and other crimes related to information, sanctioned until now by the Criminal Code.
International cooperation
Jurisprudence/case law
Lebanon appears not to have developed any specific jurisprudence on cybercrime or electronic evidence matters in the absence of a cybercrime and electronic evidence legislation.
Sources and links
- George Labaki, Internet related international treaties : Facts and challenges, Le site officiel de l’Armée Libanaise, http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb/ar/news/?33995
- Ministry of Economy and Commerce, TITLE VI- De diverses infractions liées au commerce électronique : http://www.economy.gov.lb/public/uploads/files/eCommerce/titre6.pdf
These profiles do not necessarily reflect official positions of the States covered or of the Council of Europe.
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- Cybercrime website
- Template: Mutual Legal Assistance Request for subscriber information (Art. 31 Budapest Convention). English and bilingual versions available.
- Template: Data Preservation Request (Articles 29 and 30 Budapest Convention). English and bilingual versions available.