Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 18, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleThe Dutch parliament has passed a law criminalizing digital and diaspora espionage to protect against foreign influence, with penalties up to 12 years in prison.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch parliament on Tuesday approved a law criminalizing digital espionage and diaspora espionage, which refers to foreign powers attempting to influence communities in the Netherlands with ties to those countries.
The new law expands on existing legislation, criminalizing actions such as leaking information or working for foreign governments that harm Dutch interests. Offenders can face up to eight years in prison, with a maximum of 12 years for severe cases, such as espionage leading to death.
"Espionage is, unfortunately, a frequent reality. As a nation, we must strengthen our resilience against attacks and threats from abroad. This law enhances our ability to protect the Netherlands from emerging forms of espionage," Justice Minister David van Weel said.
Last year, the Dutch intelligence service warned that Chinese cyber espionage was more extensive than initially thought and was targeting Western governments and defence companies.
In 2022, the Dutch government ordered two Chinese offices in the Netherlands to close amidst a probe into their activities. China said they were centres to help Chinese citizens renew documents, but a Dutch media report alleged they were intimidating Chinese dissidents.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
The article discusses the Dutch parliament's approval of a law criminalizing digital and diaspora espionage to protect national interests.
The law criminalizes actions like leaking information or working for foreign governments that harm Dutch interests, with severe penalties.
The law was introduced to enhance the Netherlands' resilience against foreign espionage and influence, particularly from countries like China.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
