Announcement Regarding the Installation of Cameras in Public Places

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia has issued an announcement stating: "On June 12, 2024, the National Assembly of Armenia approved in the first reading a package of legislative amendments to the Law on Police and related laws, aimed at ensuring a safer environment in our country with the assistance of various economic agents.

As we have reiterated several times, the purpose of these projects is solely to fully utilize the opportunities of modern technological developments in addressing current challenges to public safety and, ultimately, to significantly improve the public safety environment.

During the development of these projects, the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted a comprehensive study and analysis of the international best practices in the field, discussing and proposing solutions to all possible issues ensuring the integrity of regulations, including the constitutional guarantees of protecting fundamental human rights and freedoms.

In this context, the practices of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the inviolability of private and family life were also examined. It has been noted that the implementation of surveillance in public places and the acquisition of relevant publicly accessible data does not constitute an undue interference with a person's private and family life, provided it is prescribed by law, pursues a legitimate purpose, and is necessary and proportionate to achieve that purpose.

The Ministry recognizes the importance and depth of this issue and considers it crucial to appropriately safeguard the interests of all stakeholders in public safety. In this regard, it stands ready to discuss any concerns and address them.

The discussions around the projects indicate that while legal guarantees are enshrined, the pursued goals are legitimate, there are still certain concerns among different segments of the public that have not yet been alleviated. Given this situation, and emphasizing the need to form a unified understanding and common agenda for action in ensuring public safety, the Ministry of Internal Affairs deems it appropriate to refrain from presenting the projects for the second reading without broad public consensus.

This also demonstrates that the draft we have presented does not carry any subtext; it arises solely from the public interest. However, if the public, whose interest this draft aimed to protect, does not have broad consensus regarding this initiative directed at its safety, then under such circumstances, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will suspend the further progress of the draft, with a great willingness to bring relevant bodies back to the discussion table.

At the same time, without diverting from the goal of improving the public safety environment and the agenda, a phased solution to the issue is currently being discussed under a separate initiative. Specifically, the approach of granting access to surveillance systems of state and local self-government bodies to the Ministry of Internal Affairs is intended to be addressed in the first phase of discussions. This could be particularly effective in the context of the modernization program of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' "Center for Management of Photographic Electronic Systems," for which steps are already underway.

As a result, the implementation of this program will allow the Ministry of Internal Affairs to address priority public safety issues through its surveillance systems, which will be expanded thanks to the realization of the modernization program. Furthermore, the periodic analysis of the implementation process and results of the program will allow for addressing unresolved issues and undertaking new measures based on reasoned conclusions," the announcement states.