Armenia’s Personal Data Protection in a State of Disrepair

Armenia has a serious problem with personal data protection. In the past three years, there have been a dozen major leaks of personal data from state and private companies. This data can be used for identity theft, fraud, and other crimes.

The Armenian government has very limited tools to protect personal data. The Law on Protection of Personal Data, which was adopted in 2015, is outdated and does not reflect the realities of the digital age. There are also no corresponding sub-legislative acts to enforce the law.

As a result, Armenian citizens are not adequately protected from the misuse of their personal data. In May 2022, the personal data of about 250,000 citizens was published online. The data was allegedly stolen from the database of a major Armenian cargo transportation company.

The Personal Data Protection Agency of the Ministry of Justice is responsible for enforcing the Law on Protection of Personal Data. However, the agency has been slow to respond to data breaches. In the case of the May 2022 data breach, the agency has yet to release the results of its investigation.

The lack of effective personal data protection in Armenia is a serious problem. It puts Armenian citizens at risk of identity theft, fraud, and other crimes. The Armenian government needs to take action to improve the protection of personal data.

Here are some things that the Armenian government can do to improve personal data protection:

• Update the Law on Protection of Personal Data to reflect the realities of the digital age.
• Enact sub-legislative acts to enforce the Law on Protection of Personal Data.
• Create a dedicated agency to enforce the Law on Protection of Personal Data.
• Provide funding for the agency to hire more staff and conduct more investigations.

By taking these steps, the Armenian government can help to protect the personal data of Armenian citizens.