President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the First Amendment to the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act (Law No. 2/2015) today, following its passage by the Parliament during the 58th sitting of the 20th Majlis on Monday, December 9, 2024.
This Amendment aims to enhance and refine the existing legal framework governing mutual legal assistance among countries in matters related to cybercrime and offenses utilizing computer systems and emerging technologies.
The amendment sets forth new procedures aimed at improving the discovery of electronic evidence, the preservation and access of information stored in computing systems, and the real-time retrieval of traffic data. Additionally, it outlines methods for inspecting content data while seeking assistance from international partners.
Furthermore, the amendment establishes a dedicated 24/7 network designed to facilitate the exchange of information regarding crimes associated with computer data. This initiative aims to streamline the process of obtaining electronic evidence through mutual assistance and delineates the specific areas in which such assistance will be sought.
Following its ratification, the amendment has been published in the Government Gazette and will come into effect accordingly.