Cyber diplomacy and new push of International criminal court to prosecute hacking
Karim Khan, the lead prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, has announced his intention to investigate and prosecute hacking crimes that violate existing international law. He outlined the ICC’s commitment to investigating cybercrimes in accordance with the Rome Statute, which defines the court’s authority in prosecuting illegal acts including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
It is a new development in a growing web of rules and practices on cybersecurity and cybercrime. Cyber attacks may potentially constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and/or the crime of aggression, and could be prosecuted if the case is sufficiently grave.
This represents a significant step towards addressing the impact of cyber warfare and ensuring accountability within the boundaries of existing international law.