Abstract
International cybercrimes have become one of the most serious challenges facing the international community, thereby undermining the security and stability of states due to their transnational nature, the exceptional speed with which they can be perpetrated, and the considerable difficulty of attributing responsibility for them. Moreover, such crimes have the capacity to cause severe damage to critical infrastructure and to the economic and political security of states. These crimes have consequently transcended the traditional framework of cybercrime to constitute a genuine challenge and threat to international peace and security, necessitating a reconsideration of the extent to which they may be subject to the provisions of international criminal law.
This research aims to examine the concept of international cybercrimes that threaten international peace and security, and to identify their characteristics and effects on the security and stability of states. It also seeks to explore the extent to which such crimes may fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Furthermore, the research analyzes the possibility of characterizing these crimes as one of the four crimes established under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
The research concludes that, although international cybercrimes threatening international peace and security are not expressly provided for in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, they may, under certain circumstances, fall within the scope of the four crimes established by the Rome Statute where the requisite elements of gravity and attacks against internationally protected interests are present, particularly in situations of armed conflict and in cases of large-scale cyberattacks. Accordingly, the researcher recommends developing the rules of international criminal law and incorporating cybercrimes that threaten international peace and security within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.