Abstract:
The issue of international espionage in the legal system of air and outer space is one of the topics that has drawn international attention due to the security, political and economic dimensions of this issue for the international community and especially for the developing countries, that was a result of increasing espionage operations from air and space, Since the beginning of the airspace use, States have rushed to codify several conventions and laws to regulate international air navigation. Outer space affairs were also regulated through the conclusion of agreements and the issuance of several resolutions within the framework of the United Nations and one of its most important principles was the principle of freedom to explore and use space. However, it is clearly seen that States have agreed from the beginning to prohibit acts of international espionage from the air, by emphasizing the principle of absolute state sovereignty over its airspace to protect it from the dangers resulting from there, especially spying. On the other hand, countries did not agree about the legitimacy of international espionage from space, where views were divided between its defender and opponents and every stream justified. Despite the codification of many conventions and decisions relating to space affairs, they did not provide a legal rule explicitly prohibiting the conduct of international space espionage.