The Senate passed recently the bill that would regulate high-tech crime in the Dominican Republic. The new bill punishes with jail time of up to 30 years and hefty fines ranging from two to 500 minimum salaries, the following illegal acts committed by electronic and/or network and computer systems means:

(a) The interception, espionage, recording, deviation or observation of data, signals or transmissions made without a previous authorization from the pertinent judicial authorities.

(b) The illegal cloning of electronic, computer and network series.

(c) The alteration, modification, damage or disruption of existing computer, electronic or telecommunication systems.

(d) Extortion acts committed through the previously mentioned activities.

(e) Identity theft.