The Emergence and Evolution of the Protection of Private Life Information in the Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation

This paper offers a historical analysis of the evolution of legal protections for information concerning the private lives of citizens in Russian criminal proceedings. The study demonstrates that, throughout its legal history, Russia has attached particular importance to safeguarding certain categories of private, personal, and family-related information, with special emphasis on the realm of criminal justice — where individual rights are most acutely at stake. Examination of legislative developments across different historical periods shows that lawmakers have consistently sought to limit the dissemination of such information. The findings suggest that the norms restricting access to private life data have undergone a long and complex evolution, shaped by shifts in political regimes. These shifts determined both the initially narrow scope and the subsequent expansion of citizens’ rights to privacy protection.