Council found to have shared data of activists of various nationalities
Lisbon City Council has announced today that it will appeal the judicial decision to fine the municipality around €1 million for data protection violations.
This shocking case, known at the time as Russiagate, revealed how the municipality had shared the data of Russian activists (with Russia), as well as Chinese and Venezuelan activists with their embassies.
The situation opened a real can of worms – with the then mayor of Lisbon (who went on to become the minister of finance for António Costa’s final PS government) refusing to take responsibility, and instead firing someone else (later reinstated by the incoming PSD administration).
Current mayor Carlos Moedas has always lamented what he knew would be the “heavy legacy” from this dismal episode. And now he is trying to make it a little less heavy.
He accepts that what happened was “unacceptable”. But it is also the municipality’s duty “to take action to protect Lisbon residents, and safeguard the good name of the institution”, he explains.
CNPD, the country’s data protection commission initially fined the municipality €1.25 million (in January 2022) after identifying 225 infringements in communications made by the municipality in the context of demonstrations, rallies and parades.
Last month, after it became clear that the fine had been reduced slightly, the council indicated that it was assessing whether or not to appeal.
To be fair, the fine could have been a great deal worse. Initial estimates put liability in the ballpark of €80 million.
Russian activists living in Lisbon took action against the city council when they learnt what had happened, claiming the sharing of their data had put families back home in Russia ‘at risk’.
Russiagate surfaced following a protest held outside the Russian embassy in Lisbon in 2021 against the imprisonment of government opponent Alexei Navalny, who died earlier this year in a Siberian gulag.
natasha.donn@portugalresident.com
