For writing about lawmakers, hereafter their agreement is necessary (video)
Hereafter the publication of personal data of public importance collected by the media outlets in Armenia can be prosecuted by the law. The third point of the first article in the law on Personal data protection was removed still in December of last year; according to that article there were no legal restrictions on personal data collected for journalistic and literary-artistic purposes. Ashot Melikyan, Chairman of the Committee for Protection of Freedom of Expression, notes, “For example, if a journalist makes a reportage from the parliament, where the journalist touches upon a number of lawmakers, the journalist should come to an agreement with those particular lawmakers, whether they agree or not that the journalist use their name.” In the European countries there aren’t such restrictions for journalists, says Ashot Melikyan. Yet in Armenia hereafter journalists must come to an agreement with lawmakers or oligarchs before the publication of their personal data of public importance, “I think that first of all it contradicts the law on the mass media and the right to freedom of speech enshrined in the Constitution.” The change is new and as for now no political or public figure has made use of that privilege. Shushan Doydoyan, Head of Agency for Protection of Personal Data, says that the removal of that article doesn’t contradict to the Constitution and laws, “As long as I am the Head, it will not affect the media, I have warned them not to pin hopes on me, I will not institute any proceedings in connection with the media.” Shushan Doydoyan will head the Agency for personal data of the staff of the ministry still for three years. She doesn’t know how the law will be applied in three years. It is a fact that in the European Union there aren’t any restrictions on the law on personal data protection for journalists and writers, “Our legislation was also formed on the experience of the European Union and our legislation also included that exception, but it was removed.” Nevertheless, if, for example, lawmaker Samvel Aleksanyan demands that publication of the personal data of public importance referring to him must be agreed with him, the journalist has to do that, or else will be punished according to the law, “Formerly we could say that the media is an exception, but now we have to institute proceedings, investigate the case, justify that there is a public interest.” By the way, the European Union structures operating in Armenia still aren’t aware of this change and haven’t expressed their viewpoint.
