South Sudan has taken a significant step toward combating cybercrime and criminalising hate speech online after President Salvar Kiir Mayardit signed the Cyber Crime and Computer Misuse Act into law.
It is the first comprehensive legal framework against such crimes, and one of the three legislation signed into law by the president, along with the Southern Sudan Audit Chamber (Amendment) Act and the Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas Act.
The Minister of Information, Ateny Wek Ateny, acknowledged the development late Wednesday.
“The Cyber-Crime and Computer misuse Act will help provide for offences relating to computer systems to enable timely and effective detection, prohibition, prevention, investigation and prosecution of computer and cyber-crimes,” he said.
The law criminalises activities hacking, phishing, and SIM-swap fraud, while strengthening national cyber security, protecting critical infrastructure and establishing round-the-clock incident reporting mechanisms.
It also prohibits unauthorised access, cyber espionage, and the dissemination of false information.
Sentences range from two to 20 years in prison. Fines of up to $7,700 can be imposed.
The law also creates a separate national cybercrime department inside the Ministry of Justice.
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