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The Chairman of the National Council for Participation Sergiu Ostaf expressed concern about the government’s intention to consider the bill submitted by the General Prosecutor’s Office on the closure of “illegal” websites. He stated this at a press conference and during the public consultations held last week by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).
Sergiu Ostaf believes that the present law has not stipulated in detail some of the aspects that may affect the interests of Internet service providers (ISPs) and even freedom of speech on the Internet. “The prolongation of the term for ISPs to store web traffic data at prosecutor’s request, closing access to sites containing materials that are illegal in terms of current legislation, and the intention to oblige providers to identify an offender are some of the provisions of the bill, which require more wide discussion and explanation,” Ostaf thinks.
In turn, the Manager of the news portal Unimedia.md, Tudor Darie, who was also present at the press conference and at the public hearing in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, notices inaccuracy in the legislation regarding the definition of the term “illegal” websites. “We can expect that after the adoption of the law, many owners of online media would have their sites registered abroad and thus only the state budget would suffer,” Darie said.
Civil society representatives expressed concerns about the fact that these measures may lead to a restriction of freedom of speech on the Internet in the eve of parliamentary elections next year.
Last week the General Prosecutor’s Office suggested the government to consider the bill on control over the Internet space, which caused discontent of Internet media and a lot of comments in the online community. The bill provided for a number of changes to the Criminal Code, the Code of Offences and the Law on preventing and fighting cybercrime.
Later, the bill was postponed from the agenda for holding discussions with the civil society. In the end of last week the Ministry of Internal Affairs held a hearing with the participation of representatives of Internet service providers and civil society, at which the participants discussed the shortcomings and possible risks arising from the bill.
sursa foto: www.infomoldova.net
