Azerbaijan, Baku, April 12 / Trend H. Valiyev /
The Azerbaijani Communications and IT Ministry plans to develop a procedure for licensing of Internet Service Providers (ISP), Communications and IT Minister Ali Abbasov said.
Head of the agency said that licensing of ISP is caused for two reasons: the increasing number of infringement of the rights of Internet users and ever-increasing threat to security in virtual network. Licensing of Internet-providers will be the basis to regulate their activity, the minister said.
Today, the activity of Internet-providers is not licensed, as well as services provided by ISP-based broadband network (internet television and radio).
It was reported that the Ministry intends to attract Internet providers and other network society to deal effectively with unwilling incidents in the network.
In early November last year, Azerbaijan adopted the Convention on 'Cybercrime' previously ratified by the Parliament. It was designed to create an international organization to combat cybercrime. The Convention covers a wide range of issues, including all aspects of cyber crime, illegal access to computer systems and interception of data, the impact on the data, system, unlawful use of devices, forgery and fraud with the use of computer technology, offenses related to child pornography, copyright and related rights.
Staff and legal department head of the Communications and IT Ministry Bakhtiyar Mammadov said that Internet-providers will get the relevant requirements for improving the technical basis for the implementation of network monitoring in connection with Azerbaijan's ratification of the convention on 'Cybercrime'. At present, the convention is in force. Measures will be taken for its implementation.
It is known that Internet-provider has data on the exchange of information messages that can be obtained by using equipment that records the specific aspects of information exchange, including time, duration and date of the message. These data are usually stored for a limited period of time, depending on commercial needs of the service provider, as well as legal requirements concerning non-disclosure of private information. The national legislation of many countries allow law enforcement agencies or judicial authorities to issue an order regarding the collection of data.
An item of the Convention, which provides an opportunity to take legislative and other measures that empowered the authorities to confiscate or similarly secure destruction of data available at the provider and necessary for the investigation is important.
Alba Advisors company lawyer and strategic advisor Albena Spassova believes that, after Azerbaijan's ratification of the 'Convention on Cybercrime', existing legislation should be reconsidered in the procedural order. Azerbaijan should create a professional group that would deal with this activity for more effective fight against cybercrime.
In his turn, Azerbaijani Internet community head Galib Gurbanov considers that the existing infrastructure of Azerbaijani Internet providers allows to monitor and store information on the ongoing operations of the Internet users. Gurbanov said that the information about users, their online Internet operations is contained in the database of Azerbaijani Internet providers for six months.
Internet-providers are ready to cooperate with law enforcement agencies. Information base of Internet-providers may be available to law enforcement agencies on the basis of existing legislation of Azerbaijan, or by court decision.