In Volgograd, court dismisses prosecutor’s claims against media posts about fighters perished in Ukraine

The Volgograd “Height 102” online edition and the “Commonwealth of Volgograd Journalists ‘Island’” proved in the Volgograd Regional Court that their articles about military personnel perished in Ukraine do not violate the law on personal data.

A military prosecutor of the Volgograd Garrison accused the journalists of disseminating personal information about deceased participants of the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine and their relatives. The plaintiff argues that the information about those perished in the zone of the special military operation constitutes state and official secrets.

The military prosecutor emphasized that in their articles, the journalists were disclosing the information about the military units where the deceased soldiers served.

The defendant’s side insisted that “the articles were aimed at perpetuating the memory of those who perished defending the Fatherland.” “And that cannot in any way harm the security of the state or other persons,” emphasized lawyer Tatiana Khichko.

Lawyer Sergei Ivaschenko believes that journalists should not be held responsible for similar publications, since “there are no signs of intent and desire to cause harm to persons whose personal data could be disclosed.”