Latvia

Latvia adopted a new Criminal Law on June 17, 1998.
Articles related to cybercrime are found in:

Chapter XX: Criminal Offences against General Safety and Public Order

Section 241. Arbitrarily Accessing Computer Systems
(1) For a person who commits arbitrarily accessing an automated computer system, if opportunity for an outsider to acquire the information entered into the system is caused thereby, the applicable sentence is custodial arrest, or a fine not exceeding eighty times the minimum monthly wage.
(2) For a person who commits the same acts, if breaching of computer software protective systems or accessing of communications lines is associated therewith, the applicable sentence is deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding one year, or a fine not exceeding one hundred and fifty times the minimum monthly wage.

Section 242. Unauthorised Acquisition of Computer Software
(1) For a person who commits unauthorised copying of computer software, files or databases stored in the memory of a computer system, if substantial harm is caused thereby,
the applicable sentence is custodial arrest, or a fine not exceeding eighty times the minimum monthly wage.
For a person who commits the same acts, if commission thereof is repeated or breaching of computer software protection systems or accessing of communications lines is associated therewith, the applicable sentence is deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding two years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred and fifty times the minimum monthly wage.

Section 243. Damaging of Computer Software
For a person who commits modifying, altering, damaging or destroying, without authorisation, information stored in an automated computer-based system, or knowingly entering false information into an automated system, or knowingly damaging or destroying information bearing devices, computer software or protection systems, if substantial harm is caused thereby,
the applicable sentence is deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred and fifty times the minimum monthly wage.

Section 244. Disseminating a Computer Virus
(1) For a person who commits disseminating a computer virus, that is, the disseminating knowingly of such means of programming as causes unsanctioned destruction or alteration of computer software or information, or damages information equipment, or destroys protection systems, or who commits introduction of a new kind of virus into the computer software environment, the applicable sentence is deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding four years, or a fine not exceeding two hundred times the minimum monthly wage.
(2) For a person who commits the same acts, if substantial harm is caused thereby,
the applicable sentence is deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding ten years.

Section 245. Violation of Safety Provisions Regarding Information Systems
For a person who commits violation of provisions regarding information storage and processing, which have been formulated in accordance with an information system or the protection thereof, or violation of other safety provisions regarding computerised information systems, where committed by a person responsible for compliance with these provisions, if such has been a cause of theft, destruction or damage of the information, or other substantial harm has been caused thereby, the applicable sentence is deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding two years, or community service, or a fine not exceeding forty times the minimum monthly wage.

HomeCybercrimelaw.htmlCybercrimelaw.htmlshapeimage_1_link_0