Ministry of Justice Holds a Public Consultation Session on Amendments to Electronic Crimes Law No. (10) of 2018 and Its Amendments

SadaNews - The Ministry of Justice held a public consultation session regarding the amendment of Law No. (10) of 2018 concerning electronic crimes and crimes related to communications and information technology, in cooperation with the European mission to support Palestinian police and the rule of law EUPOL COPPS, attended by Minister of Justice Counselor Sharhabil Al-Zaeem, Head of the European Mission Ms. Karen Lemdal, alongside representatives from civil society organizations, human rights institutions, official and security sectors, judicial institutions, international organizations, and several academicians, legal, and human rights experts.

The public consultation session comes in line with the Cabinet decision issued on 30/4/2025 concerning the formation of a national committee to amend Law No. (10) of 2018 about electronic crimes and crimes related to communications and information technology, which includes the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the Public Prosecution, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, and civil society institutions. This session emphasizes the government's commitment to community partnership in developing legislation that aligns with the provisions of the Basic Law and international human rights standards while adhering to the protection of freedom of opinion and expression, privacy, and the right to fair trial.

In his opening remarks at the public consultation session, Minister of Justice Counselor Sharhabil Al-Zaeem asserted that the meeting is convened at a critical time, where the need to enhance the protection of the Palestinian community from electronic crimes intersects with our political and legal responsibility to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms and ensure justice for all.

The public consultations represent an extension of the valuable feedback received by the committee from citizens and civil society organizations through the electronic legislation platform. They also embody the government’s commitment to the principles of partnership and transparency in developing public policies and updating legislative frameworks to combat electronic crime, ensuring prosecution and enforcement of the law, and effective investigation, prosecution, and trial while respecting privacy and international human rights standards.

For her part, Head of the European mission Ms. Karen Lemdal confirmed that the mission believes that the electronic crimes law should achieve the necessary balance between security and fundamental rights. The law should include clear definitions of electronic crimes, sufficient judicial oversight and guarantees, respect for the right to privacy and freedom of expression, and ensure transparency and accountability in enforcement.

The first session was titled "The Scope of the Law and Criminal Provisions (Practical Application)" and was led by Colonel Rights Lawyer Bashar Al-Ahmed/ representative of the Ministry of Interior. It featured discussions from Judge Ramzi Jumour, President of the Criminal Court of First Instance in Ramallah, Mr. Sufyan Abu Zahira, Head of the Electronic Crimes Prosecution, and Major Engineer Mohammad Masoud, Director of the Electronic Crimes and Communications Unit in the police, along with Mr. Fadi Marjaneh, Director General of the Government Computer Center.
The second session was titled "International Standards and Human Rights Guarantees" led by Dr. Saja Youssef from the General Secretariat of the Cabinet and included talks by Mr. Issam Al-Aarouri, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Independent Commission for Human Rights "Ombudsman", and legal advisor Ashraf Abu Hayya representing the Network of Civil Organizations, and legal advisor Youssef Abdul-Samad from the Ministry of Justice.

The attendees recommended that amendments should consider protecting the rights and public freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law and international treaties to which the State of Palestine has joined, especially the right to freedom of expression, privacy protection, and protection of personal data.

It is worth mentioning that Law No. (10) of 2018 regarding electronic crimes and crimes related to communications and information technology and its amendments is still published on the legislation platform, and interested parties and specialists can provide their feedback through the following link: https://econsultation.moj.pna.ps/consultation-details/65