CLASSIFIED DATA AND CRIMINAL LAW – A NEED FOR CERTAIN CHANGES?
Keywords:
data secrecy, classified data, state secret, criminal law, data protectionAbstract
The offense outlined in Article 98 of the Data Secrecy Law, which concerns the disclosure of classified data; the criminal offense of Disclosing a State Secret under Article 316 of the Criminal Code; and the offenses under Articles 369 and 415 of the Criminal Code, which protect official and military secrets respectively, along with the aggravated forms prescribed in Articles 321 and 417 of the Criminal Code, together constitute a significant normative framework for safeguarding confidentiality against the most serious breaches. However, these analyses reveal inconsistencies within the domestic legal system, most notably in the realm of prescribed sanctions, where different penalty ranges are applied to substantially similar criminal offenses. Additionally, there are shortcomings in certain methods of perpetration. Broadly speaking, our legal system delineates two regimes of classified data protection: one before, and one after, the enactment of the Data Secrecy Law in 2009. In addition to the aforementioned offenses, the Unauthorized Disclosure of Secrets under Article 141 of the Criminal Code and the Violation of Confidentiality of Proceedings under Article 337 further strengthen the protection of confidentiality. These offenses protect different categories of legal interests, such as the rights and freedoms of man and citizen or the judiciary, thereby allowing for 'judicial creativity' in applying various legal doctrines to petty crimes.
References
Banović, J. (2022). Dvojna priroda nehata u krivičnom pravu. Doktorska disertacija. Univerzitet u Beogradu: Pravni fakultet.
Banović, J. (2023a). Criminal law aspects of digital assets – Contemporary challenges. Conference Proceedings of International Significance - Archibald Reiss Days, 13, 89–99.
Banović, J. (2023b). Kaznenopravna dimenzija poslovne tajne u svetlu novog Zakona o zaštiti poslovne tajne. In: M. Živković, M. Lukić Radović (Eds.), Savremeni problemi pravnog sistema Srbije – Prilozi projektu 2022. (pp. 259–276), Beograd: Univerzitet u Beogradu – Pravni fakultet.
Bodrožić, I. (2020). Kontinuirani krivičnopravni intervencionizam – na raskršću politike i prava. Srpska politička misao, 68(2), 381–396. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22182/spm.6822020.17
Bodrožić, I. & Milošević, M. (2022). Secret as an object of Criminal law protection in the Republic of Serbia. Thematic Conference Proceedings of International Significance / Etiology, Phenomenology and Trends of Contemporary Crime - Archibald Reiss Days, 12, 93–111.
Cassman, D. R. (2015). Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: An Empirical Analysis of the State Secrets Doctrine. Stanford Law Review, 67(5), 1173–1217.
Code of Medical Ethics of the Medical Chamber of Serbia, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 104/2016.
Code of Professional Ethics of Lawyers, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 27/2012 and 159/2020 – decision by the Constitutional Court.
Creus, C. (1998a). Derecho penal – Parte especial (Tomo 2). Ciudad de Buenos Aires: Editorial Astrea De Alfredo y Ricardo Depalma Srl.
Creus, C. (1998b). Derecho penal – Parte especial (Tomo 1). Ciudad de Buenos Aires: Editorial Astrea De Alfredo y Ricardo Depalma Srl.
Criminal Code of Serbia (CC), Official Gazette RS, No. 5/2005, 88/2005, 107/2005, 72/2009, 111/2009, 121/2012, 104/2013, 108/2014, 94/2016, and 35/2019.
Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), Official Gazette RS, No. 72/2011, 101/2011, 121/2012, 32/2013, 45/2013, 55/2014, 35/2019, 27/2021 - decision by the Constitutional Court and 62/2021 - decision by the Constitutional Court.
Data Secrecy Law (DSL), Official Gazette RS, No. 104/2009.
Delić, N. (2016). Volja i namera u srpskom krivičnom pravu. In: Đ. Ignjatović (Ed.), Kaznena reakcija u Srbiji (deo VI, pp. 92–116), Beograd, Srbija: Univerzitet u Beogradu – Pravni fakultet.
Delić, N. (2021). Krivično pravo – posebni deo. Beograd: Univerzitet u Beogradu – Pravni fakultet.
Donna, E. A. (2002). Derecho Penal Parte Especial (Tomo II-C). Buenos Aires/Santa Fe: Rubinzal - Culzoni Editores.
Donohue, L. K. (2010). The Shadow of State Secrets. University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 159(1), 77–216.
Gál, I. I. L. (2022). The Protection of the State Secret in the Legal History of Europe. Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Novom Sadu, 2, 583–598. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/zrpfns56-38185
Application no. 48135/06, ECHR Strasbourg, Youth Initiative for Human Rights v. Serbia, 25/09/2013.
Judgment of the Supreme Court of Cassation of Serbia, KZZ 1120/2019, 17.12.2019.
Kovačević, N. & Milošević, M. (2022). Zaštita tajnih podataka u digitalnoj formi – bezbednosni i krivičnopravni aspekti. Bezbednost, 1, 93–107. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/bezbednost2201093K
Law on Personal Data Protection (LPDP), Official Gazette RS, No. 87/2018.
Law on Protection of Trade Secrets (LPT), Official Gazette RS, No. 53/21.
Law on Regulation of Courts (LRC), Official Gazette of the RS, No. 10/23.
Law on Security Information Agency (LSIA), Official Gazette RS, No. 42/2002, 111/2009, 65/2014 – decision by the Constitutional Court, 66/2014 i 36/2018.
Milosavljević, B. (2016). Analiza pravnog uređenja obaveštajno-bezbednosnog sistema Republike Srbije. Beograd: Beogradski centar za bezbednosnu politiku.
Milosavljević, B. (2023). Osnovi bezbednosnog prava. Beograd: Službeni glasnik.
Milošević, M. (2022). Krivično pravo – posebni deo: izabrane inkriminacije za studije nauka bezbednosti. Beograd: Univerzitet u Beogradu – Fakultet bezbednosti.
Radisavljević, I. (2023). Krivičnopravna zaštita digitalne imovine. In: Đ. Ignjatović (Ed.), Kaznena reakcija u Srbiji: tematska monografija (deo 13, pp. 302–314), Beograd, Srbija: Univerzitet u Beogradu – Pravni fakultet.
Raguan, G. (2014). The State Secrets Privilege: From Evidentiary Privilege to Executive Immunity in the United States. Institute for National Security Studies, 121–134.
Stojanović, Z. (2013). Komentar Krivičnog zakonika. Beograd: Službeni glasnik.
Vuković, I. (2021). Krivično pravo – opšti deo. Beograd: Univerzitet u Beogradu – Pravni fakultet.
