Lisbon appeals €1 million fine for sharing anti-Putin activists" data

Lisbon City Council is set to appeal a €1 million fine imposed by the Administrative Court of Lisbon for sharing personal data of Russian anti-Putin activists with Moscow. This incident occurred in 2021 during the administration of former Mayor Fernando Medina. The current mayor, Carlos Moedas, criticized the previous administration's actions, labeling them as 'unacceptable' and emphasized the need to protect the residents of Lisbon and the integrity of the municipality. The fine was a result of a violation of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, as the municipality had communicated personal information of protest organizers to the Russian Embassy and Foreign Ministry. This breach was identified by Portugal’s National Data Protection Commission (CNPD), which found 225 violations related to communications about public demonstrations. The activists, who protested in January 2021 for the release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, argued that the disclosure of their personal data endangered their safety and that of their families in Russia. The CNPD's investigation was initiated following a report filed in March 2021, leading to the significant financial penalty against the city council. The original fine was reduced by €222,500 due to the statute of limitations on some offenses. The current administration is now focused on appealing the decision, aiming to mitigate the financial impact and uphold the city's reputation amidst the fallout from this serious data breach.