Banned sex crimes database creators have little faith in ministry's criminal records reform
Content creator Mallukas, whose self-created public criminal registry was shut down by the state, said she has little faith in the Ministry of Justice's plans to reform the criminal records database.
Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200) said that direct links to criminal records often made it possible to identify victims, leading to their revictimization.
"Because the full case description was also published, victims were often identifiable through those details. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of these cases involve domestic violence or offenses between relatives or acquaintances," Pakosta said.
"Imagine a victim's name suddenly becoming public for anyone to see and browse. Failing to take victims' basic needs into account led to victims contacting victim support services while experiencing suicidal thoughts," she added.
In April, Pakosta proposed making the state's criminal records database more user-friendly. The draft legislation containing the changes is expected to enter the interagency review process soon and be submitted to the Riigikogu this fall. Among other things, it would make employers' background checks on employees automatic.
"The issue arose after the Ihaste equestrian center failed to carry out the criminal records check required by law on a man volunteering there. The Child Protection Act requires employers to check the criminal records of anyone who will have contact with children," Pakosta said.
"That is a legal obligation. What we're proposing is simply an easier way for employers to comply by allowing the checks to be automated," she explained. Pakosta said the changes would also add ID document photos to the records of people convicted of serious crimes and review the fee charged for criminal record searches.
Content creator Mallu Mariann Treimann-Legrant, who launched the website ettevaatust.ee, said she has little faith in the minister's proposal.
"I know exactly how long it takes the state to get things done, how much time it takes and how many obstacles there are. My husband built ettevaatust.ee in a single day. We'll see how many years it takes the state to do this, and I don't think it actually ever will," Treimann-Legrant said.
"I think some enthusiasts — ordinary citizens — will get there first again. Making all of this so complicated is, in effect, protecting pedophiles," she said. She also criticized what she described as the lack of transparency and consistency surrounding the publication of personal data.
"It's worth asking who exactly the state is protecting here, because, interestingly, all these other registries that likewise disclose people's personal data remain freely accessible," she added.
The website ettevaatust.ee compiled profiles of people convicted of sexual offenses and domestic violence, allowing users to view information about offenders through direct links to the national criminal records database. On Tuesday, web hosting provider Zone disabled access to the site, which was created by blogger and content creator Mallukas, whose legal name is Mallu Mariann Treimann-Legrant, and her husband, Tomas Märten Legrant, following an order from the Data Protection Inspectorate (AKI).
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Nele-Liis Kasela
