Romania implements law requiring retention of telecommunications records News
Romania implements law requiring retention of telecommunications records

[JURIST] A law [text, PDF, in Romanian] requiring Romanian telecommunications companies to retain information on all telephone calls, text messages, and emails went into effect [Nine O'Clock report] on Tuesday. The law requires that basic information like the phone numbers or email addresses involved in the communications be recorded so that prosecutors can access the information if it relates to an investigation, but the companies are prohibited from keeping information on the content of the messages. The Romanian Chamber of Deputies [official website] passed [EDRI report] the controversial law in November, and its supporters said the records were required to comply with European Union efforts to combat terrorism. More than 5000 Romanians have signed a petition [AP report] protesting the law.

Other countries have also taken controversial measures on the tracking of communications to investigate crime. In August, a US court ruled [opinion, PDF; JURIST report] that the federal government acted appropriately when it compelled a telecommunications company to assist in warrantless surveillance [JURIST news archive] of certain customers. In July, millions of Swedish citizens filed electronic petitions [sample petitions, in Swedish] against the country's electronic wiretapping law [draft text, in Swedish; JURIST report]. In February 2008, a Canadian judge ruled [JURIST report]] that Section 184.4 of the Canadian Criminal Code [text], which allows warrantless wiretapping in some circumstances, is unconstitutional because it violates "the fundamental freedom to be free from unreasonable search and seizure" protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms [text].