PROTECȚIA INFORMAȚIILOR CLASIFICATE. ACCESUL AVOCATULUI LA INFORMAȚII CLASIFICATE ÎN PROCESUL PENAL

The aim of the present paper is to cover the main aspects regarding the legal treatment of classified information in the Romanian criminal legislation by presenting, from a critical standpoint, the current regulation of the access to classified information in the course of the criminal proceedings, with a special focus on the lawyer’s access to such information, as well as by providing an overview of the substantial criminal provisions protecting classified information. With respect to the procedural standards, the underlying idea emerging from the detailed analysis of the legislation in force is that currently there is an unjustified difference in treatment within the criminal proceedings regarding lawyers, on the one hand, and magistrates, on the other hand, the former category being prevented from benefiting from an unhindered access to classified information, which directly affects the rights of the defence. As far as the criminal protection of classified information is concerned, the Romanian criminal code incriminates a variety of acts that imply the illicit disclosure of classified information, pertaining to either state or professional secrecy, and are prejudicial to the national security, the state defence as well as some public or private entities, as the case may be.