Ministry of Internal Affaires suggests to recognise Internet public place

On November 24, Ihar Parman, deputy head of the K department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, presented a report “Internet. Modern Threats at the round table organised by the OSCE and the Ministry of Information.

Focusing on specific character of the ministry’s activity, Ihar Parman mentioned content of Internet resources that may be defined as Internet media, Electroname.com reports.

As the militia officer thinks, the modern Belarusian legislation needs a more clear definition of Internet environment. There’s a gap in the Belarusian law due to absence of definition of the Internet as a public place. There is a notion of public data network in the law that means that the Internet refers to a public place, but doesn’t say t clearly. Ihar Parman thinks clear legal definition of this fact will allow to avoid double interpretation and necessity of adopting special laws and instructions on the Internet and will allow to apply the current laws to violations on the Internet, in particular, article 188 of the Criminal Code (Slander).