A United Nations committee has approved a draft of an international treaty to counter cybercrime.
The UN General Assembly aims to crackdown on online crimes including fraud, money laundering and child pornography.
The draft treaty approved on Thursday says it will eliminate safe havens for people involved in cybercrime, and oblige signatory nations to strengthen measures against online criminality. It will also promote international cooperation including technological assistance for developing countries where cybercrime is on the rise.
The UN General Assembly is expected to adopt the draft treaty next month.
Russia and developing countries were supporters of the draft, while Western nations voiced concern over the possible impact on human rights. They say the treaty could lead to restrictions on freedom of expression and stronger monitoring by states.
The director of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s International Safety and Security Cooperation Division, Warisawa Koichi, who served as the committee’s vice chairperson, says Japan took part in the negotiations to protect human rights and deal with cybercrime.
Warisawa says the draft represents a major step forward for the international community to counter cross-border cybercrime.