There Are Boundaries That Should Not Be Crossed: A Statement by Avanesyan

Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan wrote on Facebook, "Dear citizens, representatives of medical organizations and the media, I once again urge you to refrain from publishing information that contains medical confidentiality regarding individuals.

I would like to remind you that according to the Republic of Armenia Law on Medical Assistance and Services for the Population, information containing an individual's medical confidentiality can only be shared with third parties with the individual’s consent, regardless of how this information was obtained by you.

Additionally, I should point out that Article 145 of the RA Criminal Code prescribes liability for the transmission of medical confidentiality. Specifically, according to the first part of this article, the transmission of data containing medical confidentiality by a personal data processor without the written consent of the individual or their legal representative, in cases not foreseen by law, is punishable by a fine ranging from two hundred to five hundred times the minimum wage, or deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a period of two to four years, or imprisonment for a term of one to two months.

According to the second part of the same article, the publication of data containing medical confidentiality by a personal data processor in media outlets or their placement on informational communication networks, without the written consent of the individual or their legal representative, in cases not foreseen by law, is punishable by a fine ranging from four hundred to seven hundred times the minimum wage, or deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a period of two to five years, or imprisonment for a term of two to three months.

Ultimately, there are boundaries that should not be crossed…"