MOSCOW. Feb 4 (Interfax) - The approval of the amendments to the draft law on the right of law enforcement agencies to receive data on the location of communication devices may be completed in the near future, Andrei Turchak, secretary of the General Council of United Russia, said.
"I do hope that the approval of the amendments and the text will be submitted for public debate in the near future," Turchak told reporters on Thursday.
Senators and deputies drafted the bill, which has now passed the first reading, back in 2018, he said.
Experts and social activists have made their proposals on the matter, Turchak said.
"Taking into account these proposals, the legislators are now working with the government on drafting these amendments," the General Council secretary said.
These amendments, among other things, directly prohibit the transmission of the content of conversations or messages transmitted using mobile devices without users' consent or a court ruling, he said.
Turchak said "there is a need for a balanced decision that will help, on one hand, promptly find missing people and, on the other hand, will prevent opportunities for abuse."
The press service for the Digital Development Ministry earlier reported improvements to the bill that allows the provision of information on the location of a communication device to law enforcement agencies at their request without a court ruling.
"The bill drafted by the Russian Digital Development Ministry directly prohibits the release of the content of conversations or messages transmitted using mobile devices without users' consent or without a court ruling. It also scraps the powers of the Russian government to establish procedures for providing geolocation data," the report said.