Special for the web-site of Yabloko, 17.06.2020

Photo: Yelena Dubrovina

The Centre for Legislative Initiatives of the Yabloko party prepared an expert opinion on the federal law “On the Unified Federal Information Register Containing Information on the Population of the Russian Federation” (hereinafter referred to as the Law “On the Register”), which has recently entered into force. Dr. Yelena Dubrovina, head of the Centre, told about the main conclusions of a multi-page study:

The provisions of the Law “On the Register” violate a number of articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, including the provisions forming the basis of the legal status of an individual in the Russian Federation, such as: a ban on the collection, storage and use of information about a person’s private life without his/her consent (Part 1 of Article 24 ); the right to privacy, personal and family secrets (Part 1 of Article 23); the right to dignity of a person (Part 1 of Article 21); a ban on the publication of laws abrogating and belittling the rights and freedoms of man and citizen (Part 2 of Article 55), etc.

The said law envisages the creation of a single register, which will accumulate large amounts of both the information and the “keys” to information about each person who is in the territory of the Russian Federation from the day of his birth until his death, coupled with information in the same amount about his close relatives.

Information will be available on where and when a person lived temporarily and permanently throughout life; where he/she worked and on what post, what activities he/she was engaged in; where and when he/she studied; how much he/she earned, what help he/she received from the state; what property, income and large expenses he/she has; information about the health of a person according to medical institutions; information on marriages and divorces, adoptions; about changing the name and gender; about all identification documents, etc.

All the state authorities (federal, regional), local authorities, regardless of the field of activity, as well as extrabudgetary fund management bodies, notaries, electoral commissions and multifunctional centres for provision of state services, that is, an almost unlimited circle of people with their views and interests, can use the information from the register.

In violation of the Constitution, the authorities create an expensive mechanism of total state control over citizens.

Usage of the register has high corruption risks and poses a threat to security of citizens.

YELENA DUBROVINA

Member of the Yabloko’s Federal Political Committee, head of the Centre for Legislative Initiatives of the Yabloko party. Honored Lawyer of Russia, Candidate of Law