The Libyan Parliament-designated Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha met with the Minister of Interior, Major General Essam Abu Zariba. They discussed a bill to establish a department for combating cybercrime, according to the government’s media office.
The meeting was held at the cabinet headquarters in Sirte on Sunday. It discussed the security situation and developments, and the security plan prepared by the MoI, to preserve the security in the country.
The meeting also discussed the need to launch the department of combating cybercrimes, in order to carry out its tasks in accordance with Law No. (5) of 2022 issued by the Libyan Parliament.
On 22 October 2022, the Parliament issued the Cybercrime Law, one year after its approval on 26 October 2021.
The Cybercrime Law aims to “protect electronic transactions and reduce the incidences of cybercrime, by identifying these crimes, and approving deterrent penalties for them. This will lead to achieving justice and information security, protecting Libyan public order and public morals, as well as protecting the national economy.”
This will also “preserve rights resulting from the legitimate use of the means of modern technology, and enhance public confidence in the safety of electronic transactions.”
“The provisions of the law shall apply to any of the crimes stipulated therein if all or some of its acts were committed inside Libya, or all of its acts were committed outside Libya. As well as its consequences and effects extended to inside Libya, even if the act was not punishable in the country in which it was committed,” it read.
The law defines cybercrime as “any act committed through the use of computer systems, the international information network, or other information technology means in violation of the provisions of this law.”
Last month, Benghazi hosted Libya’s first international Conference on Cybersecurity. The conference was held under the slogan of “National Security and Cyber Threats in a Changing World.”
