Other channels such as the 24/7 Point of Contact established under Article 35 of the Budapest
Convention on Cybercrime must be used for sending requests for mutual assistance for the
investigation and prosecution of cybercrime. The 24/7 points of contact are provided for
investigations involving electronic evidence that require assistance from foreign law
enforcement. In investigations involving computer networks, it is often important for
investigators to move at unprecedented speeds to preserve electronic data and locate suspects,
often by asking Internet Service Providers to assist by preserving data. Therefore, to enhance and
supplement traditional methods of obtaining assistance, this mechanism can be used to expedite
contacts between two jurisdictions.
The 24/7 Network of Contact Points is provided to countries acceding to the Budapest
Convention on Cybercrime, the Group of 8 countries (G8) and Interpol.
Since Mauritius acts as a hub for knowledge exchange within Africa, it is imperative for law
enforcement agencies to make maximum use of these communication channels in the fight
against cybercrime and sharing of information between other countries.
7.5.1 Harmonised legal frameworks
Differences in national laws and the capacity of local agencies to enforce those laws can create a
barrier to effective international co-operation on cybercrime. Savvy cyber-criminals can exploit
these inconsistencies by operating in countries with weak laws or enforcement regimes.
Mauritius acceded to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime in November 2013. The principles
enshrined in the Budapest Convention are being implemented through the Global Action on
Cybercrime (GLACY) Project. GLACY is a joint project of the European Union and the Council
of Europe aimed at supporting countries worldwide in the implementation of the Budapest
Convention. The Convention provides a comprehensive model framework of offences and law
enforcement powers and facilitates close co-operation between member countries. It has become
the cornerstone of a harmonised approach to cybercrime for a growing global community of
nations. Following the successful implementation of the GLACY project, there is
a GLACY + project running up to 2020.
The specific objective of GLACY is to enable criminal justice authorities to engage in
international co-operation on cybercrime and electronic evidence on the basis of the Budapest
Convention on Cybercrime.
Results are expected in the following areas:
Engagement of decision-makers
Harmonisation of legislation
Judicial training
Law enforcement capacities
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