The state Duma has introduced a bill to strengthen the protection of personal data of judges, prosecutors, investigators and individual military personnel. According to the bill, law enforcement agencies will be able to prohibit the dissemination of information about their employees and their property, regardless of whether there is a threat to their lives.
The authors of the amendments were a group of deputies led by the Chairman of the Duma Committee on security and anti-corruption Vasily Piskarev.
- It is proposed to establish the possibility of introducing a ban by decision of the security body on the issuance to third parties of information about protected persons held by the operator, regardless of whether there is an immediate threat to their security, - the bill says.
According to its text, the list of such persons will be determined by the head of the relevant state body.
Exceptions will be made if the protected person consents to the release of the specified information, revealing it during the preliminary investigation of a criminal case, or in the framework of compliance with the requirements of anti-corruption legislation.
Currently, the ban on issuing information can only be applied to officials who are at risk of encroachment on their life or health in connection with their official activities.
The norms need to be expanded, because information about facts, events and circumstances of the private life of law enforcement officers, Supervisory authorities, and military personnel is increasingly being published on the Internet without authorization, the authors said in an explanatory note. This state of Affairs "negatively affects the exercise of their powers," the authors say.
It is specified that the bill concerns judges, prosecutors, investigators and other employees who conduct operational search activities, as well as employees of the internal Affairs bodies, the Federal penitentiary service, the FSB and military personnel who took part in counter-terrorism measures, special operations and "protecting public order and ensuring public security".
In addition, the draft law prohibits the dissemination of information contained in requests that are sent to citizens in the course of operational search activities. An exception is allowed only for information disclosed in open court or during pre-trial proceedings. This can be done with the permission of the investigator or inquirer.
Tatiana Zamakhina
