Azerbaijan leads first ratification of UN cybercrime treaty

Azerbaijan has become the first country to ratify the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, after Milli Majlis (Parliament) approved the legislation on February 10. 

Azerbaijan played a particularly active role in shaping the final draft of the UN convention, which reflects years of intensive international collaboration, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The bill, presented by President Ilham Aliyev, marks a milestone in the country’s efforts to lead global cybercrime governance.

A government delegation—including representatives from the State Security Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Service for Special Communication and Information Security, and other state bodies—demonstrated a constructive and principled approach during multilateral negotiations, contributing substantively to the text of the convention.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime on 24 December 2024 under Resolution 79/243, following four years of negotiations and with unanimous support from all 193 member states.

The treaty provides the first comprehensive multilateral framework to prevent and combat cybercrime, strengthening global cooperation among states, businesses, and civil society on cybersecurity, data protection, and high-tech crime.

The Convention opened for signature in Hanoi in 2025—the first UN treaty to bear the name of a Vietnamese location—and remains open for signature at UN Headquarters in New York until 31 December 2026. It will enter into force 90 days after the fortieth ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession.

By Aghakazim Guliyev