There is a ban on photographing critical infrastructure without permission

From Thursday, the ordinance of the head of the Ministry of National Defense has been in force on the prohibition of photographing military facilities and critical infrastructure without permission. The new regulations enable services to intervene and impose penalties – a fine or custody – for photographing or recording such places.

The ordinance of the head of the Ministry of National Defense introduces the rules for issuing permits to take pictures for military units and critical infrastructure objects. It also determines how these objects are to be marked. From Thursday, photographing without the permission of these objects will be treated as an offense – it will be threatened a fine or arrest. Earlier, due to the lack of appropriate markings, the services were not able to enforce such prohibitions. The regulation was published in the Journal of Laws on April 3.

The ordinance of the Minister of National Defense of March 27, 2025 applies to the mode and deadlines for issuing permits for photographing, filming or consolidating the image or image of objects, persons or movable property referred to in art. 616a para. 1 amended on August 17, 2023 – the Act on the Defense of the Fatherland.

It gives a legal basis for the intervention of cleaning (civil and military) organs in relation to people who photograph, film or record an image or image otherwise without permission facilities, people or movable property particularly important for the security or defense of the state, the facilities of the Ministry of National Defense and critical infrastructure facilities. The ban on photography includes all ways of fixing, photographing and filming both from the level and air level. The regulation applies to bodies, institutions, formations, entrepreneurs or organizational units in which properties are located.

“It is a very important thing for us soldiers, because the situation in the security domain has changed, also in the territory of the Republic of Poland,” told the Chief of General Staff of the Polish Army, Gen. Wiesław Kukuła on Wednesday.

He emphasized the introduction of the provisions It was necessary due to the growing threat from foreign intelligence services. “We observe a number of minor activities that are aimed at obtaining information about our critical infrastructure. In detained agents we find photo information about the location of our troops and military units. Therefore, as armed forces, we asked the legislator to change the record (…) and introduce this prohibition” – said General Kukuła. He added that they were “very often people associated with the intelligence of the Russian Federation or Belarus.”

“Earlier we had a situation for several years when it was legally allowed,” he reminded. “This is a tool directed against foreign services and supporting the creation of a certain culture of responsibility for our security” – emphasized the Chief of the General Staff referring to the regulation. He added that “this is not new, this is the custom and law in force in many countries.” (PAP)

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