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WATCH YOUR WEB: ARMENIAN POLICE'S REPORTED CAPABILITY TO "SNOOP" ON INTERNET USERS RAISES CONCERNS
http://armenianow.com/society/human_rights/49699/armenia_internet_spying_police_equipment_it
HUMAN RIGHTS | 01.11.13 | 14:08
Grigori Saghyan
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Armenia appears to have got its "share" of the continuing global
"snooping" scandal as allegations have been made in the local media
about the police having acquired the capability of spying on internet
users.
The pro-opposition Haykakan Zhamanak daily, citing its own sources,
wrote this week that while so far security agencies in Armenia have
been engaged in wiretapping people's phones and following their
conversations, then now their opportunities will be expanded as the
police have acquired the capability of controlling the internet domain.
"The Russian militia (police) has an 'undeniable' role in this as
it has donated a large amount of equipment to its junior partner. In
summer our specialists on combat against cyber crime, in particular
Police Chief Vova Gasparyan, were sent on a business trip to Sochi
where there was a ceremonial session and they got a promise of
assistance. Now 'certain circles' are concerned that the new capacity
will be used against the 'internal enemy'," alleged the newspaper.
The news spread quickly on online social networking sites, and
people began to worry that the police might control their private
correspondence and other online activity.
Deputy Director of the Internet Society of Armenia organization Grigori
Saghyan says that control of the internet and telephone conversations
is no news, as, if necessary, the legislation of Armenia entitles
law-enforcement agencies to engage in such activities.
"And telephone operators are obliged to provide technical access
so that in cases prescribed by law the police could have access to
conversations that they consider necessary to listen to," says Saghyan.
Under the Armenian law on electronic communications, in cases
prescribed by law all operators and service providers shall
provide law-enforcement and national security agents with access to
communication equipment, infrastructure, connecting/disconnecting,
routing and other similar devices, including devices required for
the implementation of secret listening.
"The law also stipulates that the operator has no right to secretly
listen [to conversations] itself," says Saghyan.
The internet expert connects the heightened public interest towards
wiretapping-related allegations with the revelations made by former
U.S. intelligence agent Edward Snowden. The 30-year-old computer
specialist, who has been granted political asylum in Russia, revealed
to the public earlier this year that American special services have
been collecting data from major internet companies about communications
of online social network users.
Recently the international "snooping" scandal acquired a new dimension
after leading western publications revealed that Washington has been
eavesdropping on European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela
Merkel, on the United Nations headquarters, and so on.
The Armenian expert, speaking about control of data on the internet,
says that Armenia does not have such technical means to be able to
follow the online activities of people, therefore it needs to import
these facilities.
"There is a technical way to do that in Russia, it is called 'a
system of operative-investigative measures', which allows you to
collect data," says Saghyan, stressing that only, if necessary,
and in accordance with corresponding procedures can law-enforcement
agencies secretly follow internet users' activities, otherwise the
evidence obtained this way will not be considered legal in courts.
The police did not deny that it could now be in possession of such
equipment. "The police always obtain appropriate technical means,
there is a unit for fighting cyber crime, but this fight is being
carried out for the benefit of the users," said police spokesman
Ashot Aharonyan said.
http://armenianow.com/society/human_rights/49699/armenia_internet_spying_police_equipment_it
HUMAN RIGHTS | 01.11.13 | 14:08
Grigori Saghyan
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Armenia appears to have got its "share" of the continuing global
"snooping" scandal as allegations have been made in the local media
about the police having acquired the capability of spying on internet
users.
The pro-opposition Haykakan Zhamanak daily, citing its own sources,
wrote this week that while so far security agencies in Armenia have
been engaged in wiretapping people's phones and following their
conversations, then now their opportunities will be expanded as the
police have acquired the capability of controlling the internet domain.
"The Russian militia (police) has an 'undeniable' role in this as
it has donated a large amount of equipment to its junior partner. In
summer our specialists on combat against cyber crime, in particular
Police Chief Vova Gasparyan, were sent on a business trip to Sochi
where there was a ceremonial session and they got a promise of
assistance. Now 'certain circles' are concerned that the new capacity
will be used against the 'internal enemy'," alleged the newspaper.
The news spread quickly on online social networking sites, and
people began to worry that the police might control their private
correspondence and other online activity.
Deputy Director of the Internet Society of Armenia organization Grigori
Saghyan says that control of the internet and telephone conversations
is no news, as, if necessary, the legislation of Armenia entitles
law-enforcement agencies to engage in such activities.
"And telephone operators are obliged to provide technical access
so that in cases prescribed by law the police could have access to
conversations that they consider necessary to listen to," says Saghyan.
Under the Armenian law on electronic communications, in cases
prescribed by law all operators and service providers shall
provide law-enforcement and national security agents with access to
communication equipment, infrastructure, connecting/disconnecting,
routing and other similar devices, including devices required for
the implementation of secret listening.
"The law also stipulates that the operator has no right to secretly
listen [to conversations] itself," says Saghyan.
The internet expert connects the heightened public interest towards
wiretapping-related allegations with the revelations made by former
U.S. intelligence agent Edward Snowden. The 30-year-old computer
specialist, who has been granted political asylum in Russia, revealed
to the public earlier this year that American special services have
been collecting data from major internet companies about communications
of online social network users.
Recently the international "snooping" scandal acquired a new dimension
after leading western publications revealed that Washington has been
eavesdropping on European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela
Merkel, on the United Nations headquarters, and so on.
The Armenian expert, speaking about control of data on the internet,
says that Armenia does not have such technical means to be able to
follow the online activities of people, therefore it needs to import
these facilities.
"There is a technical way to do that in Russia, it is called 'a
system of operative-investigative measures', which allows you to
collect data," says Saghyan, stressing that only, if necessary,
and in accordance with corresponding procedures can law-enforcement
agencies secretly follow internet users' activities, otherwise the
evidence obtained this way will not be considered legal in courts.
The police did not deny that it could now be in possession of such
equipment. "The police always obtain appropriate technical means,
there is a unit for fighting cyber crime, but this fight is being
carried out for the benefit of the users," said police spokesman
Ashot Aharonyan said.