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
No known legislation or policies.
Licensing/registration requirements
No known legislation or policies.
Import/export controls
No known legislation or policies.
Other restrictions
No known legislation or policies.
Obligations on individuals to assist authorities
Section 13 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2003 allows certain authorised individuals, when required for the purpose of a criminal investigation or the prosecution of an offence, to apply to a judge for an order compelling “any person to submit specified data in that person’s possession or control, which is stored in a computer system”. Moreover, “where any material to which an investigation relates consists of data stored in a computer, disc, cassette, or on microfilm, or preserved by any mechanical or electronic device, the request shall shall be deemed to require the person to produce or give access to it in a form in which it can be taken away and in which it is visible and legible”. A copy of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2003 can be found here .
Obligations on providers to assist authorities
Section 12 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2003 allows certain authorised individuals, for the purposes of a criminal investigation or the prosecution of an offence, to apply to a judge for an order for the disclosure of preserved data. This order may require the disclosure of “(a) all preserved data, irrespective of whether one or more service providers were involved in the transmission of such data; (b) sufficient data to identify the service providers and the path through which the data was transmitted; or (c) electronic key enabling access to or the interpretation of data”. Section 13 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2003 allows certain authorised individuals, when required for the purpose of a criminal investigation or the prosecution of an offence, to apply to a judge for an order compelling “any person to submit specified data in that person’s possession or control, which is stored in a computer system”. Moreover, “where any material to which an investigation relates consists of data stored in a computer, disc, cassette, or on microfilm, or preserved by any mechanical or electronic device, the request shall shall be deemed to require the person to produce or give access to it in a form in which it can be taken away and in which it is visible and legible”. A copy of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2003 can be found here .
Assessment Text Area
There is currently no legislation regarding the general right to encryption, nor regulations on the strength of encryption technology, its licensing, or sale. Under the country’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act, certain authorised individuals may apply to a judge for an order for the disclosure of preserved data for the purposes of a criminal investigation or the prosecution of an offence. The order can require “any person to submit specified data in that person’s possession or control, which is stored in a computer system” and where necessary, “produce or give access” to such data “…in a form in which it can be taken away and in which it is visible and legible”. It is not clear whether this would extend to decrypting encrypted information or providing decryption keys.
Murphy's Law