How a new UN cybercrime treaty could be used to crack down on dissent

Per The Conversation, the newly adopted UN Convention against Cybercrime lets countries define "serious crime" under their own laws and claim jurisdiction over conduct anywhere in the world, not just by their own citizens, but against them. Analysts warn that vague scope could let authoritarian states like Iran or Russia pursue dissidents, journalists, and LGBTQ+ activists abroad for things like social media posts or VPN use. The treaty needs forty ratifications to take effect; so far only Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Vietnam have signed on. Human rights safeguards exist on paper, but critics note they're largely voluntary, leaving the treaty's real limits to be tested as more countries decide whether to ratify it.

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