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Citizens received at governmental agencies should not use recording equipment, suggests deputy justice minister

Citizens received at governmental agencies over personal matters should not use audio or video equipment to record the meeting, Deputy Justice Minister Ala Bodak said at a news conference held in Minsk on Wednesday to discuss a new version of the Law On Applications by Citizens and Legal Entities, which took effect on January 22.

The law does not specify the matter, she acknowledged. “But I believe that a citizen may not use the equipment.”

At the same time, Ms. Bodak said, the law provides for the right of governmental agencies to record meetings with citizens, specifying that a person should be warned about the use of recording equipment beforehand. “The law says that a citizen should be notified of the use of technical equipment before coming for a meeting. So, the citizen knows that some additional devices will be used there, and if he objects to this he may refuse to come.”

The deputy minister said that recording equipment would not be used without good grounds. “I think that the head of a governmental agency will be deciding on the use of equipment if some matter of particular importance that requires a thorough inquiry is to be discussed at the meeting.”

The provision will benefit both governmental officials and citizens; in case of a dispute, any party will be able to resort to the recording, added Ms. Bodak. //BelaPAN