The Ministry of Information says the government is drafting a data bill on cyber security to protect information systems against hackers in the country.
Dr. Jacob Maiju Baba Korok, the Deputy Ministry of Information, Communication Technology, and Postal Service says the government is working on enhancing cyber security.
Maiju spoke during the closing ceremony of the 17th annual Internet Governance Forums hosted by Ethiopia in Addis Ababa this week.
“We learn a lot of lessons, that using the internet has a double impact; both negative and positive,” Maiju said in Addis Ababa.
“We are going to put down the law and we are now drafting data protection and we will enhance cyber security to protect our children.”
The forum, hosting information and communication officials from the region – is under the theme: ‘Resilient Internet for a Shared Sustainable and Common Future.’
In September 2022, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs initiated cybercrimes and computer misuse laws to try perpetrators of internet offenses.
The ministry also established a court to adjudicate cases related to the 35 crimes, including Unauthorized Data transmission, human and drug trafficking, computer hacking, espionage, economic sabotage, cyber terrorism, and sexual offense communication.
Others include publication of false information and indecent content, impersonation and other identity-related offenses as well as disclosure of passwords, among others.
The sentences for the crimes range between four, and twenty years of imprisonment.