Salvadoran Congress reforms criminal code on computer crimes, opposition fears espionage

The Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) and opposition politicians criticized the approved reforms as violating constitutional rights and the privacy of citizens and journalists. "We cannot endorse, we cannot accompany this type of reform at a time when the eyes of the world are seeing a country that is violating press freedom through espionage practices," said Claudia Ortiz, a lawmaker from opposition party "Let's go." International human rights groups https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/human-rights-groups-voice-concern-about-allegations-surveillance-el-salvador-2022-02-01 have called on authorities in El Salvador to open an investigation into the allegations that journalists and activists had their phones hacked.


Reuters | Updated: 02-02-2022 04:23 IST | Created: 02-02-2022 04:23 IST
Salvadoran Congress reforms criminal code on computer crimes, opposition fears espionage

El Salvador's Congress on Tuesday made a series of reforms to the country's criminal code aimed at cracking down on cybercrime although critics fear they could open doors for spying on journalists and activists.

"Undercover digital operations" by police, with prior authorization of a judge and the prosecution, may be ordered during the investigation of computer crimes, according to the reforms backed by lawmakers from the New Ideas party and its allies, which support President Nayib Bukele. Police may carry out the search for digital evidence through "open or public information and communication technologies," according to the reform document, which netted 63 votes in favor out of 84.

All digital documents, electronic messages, images, videos or other data that are stored, received or transmitted through digital channels or electronic devices will be considered as evidence for criminal proceedings, the document said. "Those who oppose this reform to the Code of Criminal Procedure to regulate the incorporation and production of digital evidence in judicial processes, are only criminals," said New Ideas member Walter Coto.

In mid-January, The Citizen Lab, which studies spyware at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs, released a report https://www.reuters.com/technology/salvadoran-journalists-phones-hacked-with-spyware-report-finds-2022-01-13 saying that the cell phones of nearly three dozen journalists and activists in El Salvador, several of whom were investigating alleged state corruption, have been hacked since mid-2020 with the Israeli-designed spyware Pegasus. The Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) and opposition politicians criticized the approved reforms as violating constitutional rights and the privacy of citizens and journalists.

"We cannot endorse, we cannot accompany this type of reform at a time when the eyes of the world are seeing a country that is violating press freedom through espionage practices," said Claudia Ortiz, a lawmaker from opposition party "Let's go." International human rights groups https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/human-rights-groups-voice-concern-about-allegations-surveillance-el-salvador-2022-02-01 have called on authorities in El Salvador to open an investigation into the allegations that journalists and activists had their phones hacked.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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