The El Salvador Assembly announced, on 24 November 2021, that the deputies of the Assembly's Commission for Security and Combating Drug Activity ('the Commission') issued an opinion in favour of reforming the Special Law Against Computer and Related Crimes ('LEDIC'). In particular, the deputies read the 15 sections that cover the proposals to be modified in the current law, which was issued on 4 February 2016, under Legislative Decree number 260, in past legislatures. In addition, the Assembly noted that a diversity of behaviours that can be committed through the abuse of technological means has been identified, which are not regulated in the LEDIC. Thus, the deputies found it essential to update the regulatory framework.

Moreover, the Assembly outlined that in five years, the staff of the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic ('FGR') has received 8,206 complaints about computer crimes and that from this figure and only in 2021, 5,394 accusations were filed, according to what was issued by the Attorney General, Rodolfo Delgado, within the Commission. Furthermore, the Assembly noted that among the modifications to be made is the inclusion of crimes committed against people with disabilities as well as the increase in prison sentences, depending on the category of crime.

Lastly, the Assembly highlighted that the amendments seek to provide training to agents of the National Civil Police, agents of the FGR, and other pertinent entities in order to keep elements of the units that process this issue updated, as well as the creation of scientific investigation units of computer crimes, among others.

You can read the press release, only available in Spanish, here.