On 16 April 2021 an amendment to the Federal Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law was published in the
Federal Official Gazette. The amendment introduces a mandatory National Registry of Mobile Telephone Users and took effect on the day after its publication.
According to the government, the registry aims to reduce crime by forcing mobile line owners to register their lines. However, industry experts have expressed concerns that this will not necessarily be the case and that the registry instead puts citizens' personal data at risk, particularly since many crimes are committed through the use of stolen phones or SIM cards.
Scope of registry