Encryption Law by Country
Where strong encryption is a right, restricted, or compelled. National law and policy, mirrored per country.
Source: Global Partners Digital, World Map of Encryption, updated 2026-07-02. Full data at www.gp-digital.org/world-map-of-encryption
Encryption Law by Country (196)
General right to encryption
No known legislation or policies.
Mandatory minimum or maximum encryption strength
Section 24(1) of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act allows the Minister with responsibility for Electronic Commerce to make Regulations “respecting the use, import and export of encryption technology, encryption programs, or other encryption products”. None, however, appear to have been made. A copy of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act can be found here .
Licensing/registration requirements
Section 24(1) of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act allows the Minister with responsibility for Electronic Commerce to make Regulations “respecting the use, import and export of encryption technology, encryption programs, or other encryption products”. None, however, appear to have been made. A copy of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act can be found here .
Import/export controls
Section 24(1) of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act allows the Minister with responsibility for Electronic Commerce to make Regulations “respecting the use, import and export of encryption technology, encryption programs, or other encryption products”. None, however, appear to have been made. A copy of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act can be found here .
Other restrictions
Section 24(1) of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act allows the Minister with responsibility for Electronic Commerce to make Regulations “respecting the use, import and export of encryption technology, encryption programs, or other encryption products”. None, however, appear to have been made. A copy of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act can be found here .
Obligations on individuals to assist authorities
Under section 16(1) of the Computer Misuse Act, a police officer or a person authorised in writing by the Commissioner of Police, where they have a search warrant, is entitled to have access to and inspect and check the operation of a computer, to use or have someone else use a computer to search any data contained in it or available to it, and to have access to any information, code or technology which can retransform or unscramble encrypted data contained or available to the computer into a readable and comprehensible format or text. They are also entitled to require any person they have reasonable cause to suspect is using or has used the computer, or any person in charge of or concerned with the operation of the computer, to provide them with such reasonable technical and other assistance they may require for those purposes. Finally, they are also entitled to require any person in possession of decryption information to grant them access to such decryption information as it necessary to decrypt data. The search warrant to exercise these powers must be obtained under section 70 of the Criminal Procedure Code which regulates search warrants more generally. Search warrants must be obtained from a magistrate, who must be satisfied that there is reasonable cause to believe that an offence has been committed on a particular property. Furthermore, the powers under the Computer Misuse Act can only be used in relation to a computer where the police officer or person authorised in writing by the Commissioner of Police has reasonable cause to suspect is being used or has been used in connection with an offence under the Computer Misuse Act or disclosed in the course of the lawful exercise of the powers under section 16. They cannot be exercised in relation to criminal offences generally. Additionally, where the powers to be exercised involve searching data on a computer, accessing decryption technology, or requiring a person to provide decryption information, the consent of the Attorney-General is required. Failure to comply is a criminal offence, punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to BSD 10,000. The Computer Misuse Act can be found here .
Obligations on providers to assist authorities
No known legislation or policies.
Assessment Text Area
Bahamian law allows law enforcement agencies who have been granted a search warrant to access any assistance they may require to decrypt data found in the search. However, safeguards apply – where the powers to be exercised involve searching data on a computer, accessing decryption technology, or requiring a person to provide decryption information, the consent of the Attorney-General is required. Failure to comply is a punishable offence. Although the Minister has the power to regulate encryption technology in addition to the import and export of encryption programs and technology, no such policies have been enacted thus far.
Murphy's Law