&host=rt.com&uri=/politics/fsb-powers-rights-totalitarian/&via=(none)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
Expanding FSB powers is a revival of totalitarian state – rights watchdog
Published: 25 June, 2010, 14:28
Edited: 11 August, 2010, 18:16
TAGS: Conflict, Russia, Protest, Politics, Human rights, Law
The Kremlin’s human rights council has opposed the idea of expanding the Federal Security Service’s (FSB) powers, saying it is anti-constitutional and would be a revival of the worst practices of a “totalitarian state”.
Russia’s presidential Council on Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights has appealed to President Medvedev and suggested that the State Duma “immediately” suspends the process of the adoption of amendments to the law that would give a lot more power to the FSB.
Initiated by the government, the bill would allow the FSB to issue warnings to people it believes are about to commit a crime and threaten, fine, or even arrest for up to 15 days for disobeying its orders.
“The FSB would be allowed to summon citizens and publicly make such warnings. No grounds would be required for such measures to be taken and there would be no need [for the FSB] to follow procedures set by the law for limiting citizens’ freedom,” the presidential human rights watchdog statement reads as published on their website.
The body studied the document and presented to the head of state its legal analysis, which proves that the draft is “anti-constitutional”, and would be a political mistake.
“Such a revival of the worst and illegal practices of a totalitarian state – aimed at spreading fear and distrust among people – can be seen by society only as a suppression of civil freedoms and dissent,” the council stated.
In April the bill was submitted to the lower house, and on June 11 the lawmakers – though only the majority United Russia party – passed the draft in the first of the three required readings. All other factions of the State Duma opposed the law for different reasons. While communists worried that the amendments would violate human rights, liberal-democrats – on the contrary – deemed the draft too soft.
Back then the news rocked the socially active part of Russia’s society, with many seeing the move as a comeback to Soviet-time repressions and direct violation of human rights.
“So far there has been a presumption of innocence in Russia and inflicting a punishment – including administrative one – has only been possible by court decision,” Lev Ponomarev, the chair of organization “For Human Rights”, was quoted as saying by newsru.com. “If a person was taking part in a meeting not permitted by the authorities, one’s fate would be decided by court. There was a hope that – assuming there is no pressure from the state – such procedure of protecting human rights could save us from arbitrariness. What is being suggested is a turn back to the Soviet totalitarian regime,” he stated.
On June 23, following the fierce response from human rights activists, the United Russia faction called for an amendment to the bill, Itar-Tass reported.
FSB considers tougher control over Internet
In a cover letter to the controversial draft, its authors also wrote that “some media outlets – both printed and electronic – openly promote forming negative processes in the spiritual sphere, the settlement of cult of individualism and violence, disbelief in the ability of state to protect its citizens.” Thus, the authors believe, the media “involves young people in extremist activities.”
Journalists and human rights activists were not excited over such statements, seeing it as a possible way to strengthen pressure on the media.
Meanwhile, the FSB is reportedly working on amendments to yet another law – “On Information” – which would oblige internet providers to shut down websites on the prosecutor’s demand – without a court decision. Vedomosti daily writes that the FSB suggests that providers – under a “motivated letter” from a law enforcement agency – would have to close domains. The measures will supposedly be aimed at fighting extremism.
The website, however, would not be closed for more than a month if a case is dropped, or if the court rules that the content of the site is not in violation of the law.
In addition, internet providers could be obliged to keep data on all their users and all the services they got for half a year and provide that information on demand of the law enforcement agencies.
25.06.2010, 12:11
46 comments
How the Russian soul can save the American EmpireDue to its unshakeable commitment to materialism and individualism, Americans now find themselves passengers on a spiritual shipwreck that perhaps only the Russian soul can salvage. |
25.06.2010, 14:39
ROAR: “World’s elite club G8 still useful”Analysts wonder if the time has come for the Group of Twenty countries to replace the Group of Eight. |
Look, having mommy and daddy make sure the kids are okay is fine. I've never had any rights, and it's usually a race for me to try to find protection/cover fast enough. If you aren't in charge, don't try to get anywhere, just experience life. If you are in charge, there's a goal with the people who move. I don't believe in freedom because we're so close to the same that people will corrupt to get to their wheres instead of be directed and it's given that people like their lives and don't want their children to fall into the pits of Heck and that people adapt and Hell isn't so bad. I'm like the most submissive person by nature because I can't win, but I'm not going to that because I know what's going to happen if I do that. It isn't like being raped or forced to have a baby or anything else. It's what's going to happen that will be bad. Life is to live and to experience. I've been many. There's a blessing and a curse to each social position. THere's a curse to fighting for what will never be to break down for another. I've been incited to school because I have to to survive, but no, because I must be punished. I just need a master of some sort who is charge of all the corrupting so that I know rules and there isn't any hope for me, no threat.
Count Cash, agree with you 100%. Good point about the need to study other countries' experience and realities in order to put things in perspective. Currently, there too many games with democracy in Russia without a clear understanding of implications of such games. There is also a lot of blind mimiking of some Western practices without a clear undertstanding of said practices. But, this is probably just a stage in development and that too shall pass. All in all, despite being a very young democracy in the western sense of the word and because of that having to invent the new rules and laws by trial and error, Russia is certainly a much more stable and mature society than most post Soviet and some Eastern European countries who are still on the crossroads. I'm sure the Russians will be able to figure this one out and to achieve proper balance between democracy and security of polulation.
CountCash suggests that the Kremlin’s human rights defenders compare Russia with other countries. Good idea. Many international surveys already tabulate various aspects of societal condition and provide a snapshot of Russia in a world context. I suppose any one of these may be argued against, but all of them together give a picture that cannot be ignored. I list several such surveys below, name countries immediately ahead of and behind Russia, and for comparison also include the rating of the “Nazi” neighbour that Russia sees itself fit to criticise most of all. UN Human Development Index: 71/182, immediately ahead of Macedonia, Dominica and Grenada, immediately behind Belarus, Saint Lucia and Albania. (Estonia is 40th) Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index: 146/180, immediately ahead of Ivory Coast, Papua-New Guinea and Paraguay, immediately behind Nepal, Comoros and Azerbaijan, and equal to Cameroon, Ecuador, Kenya, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Ukraine and Zimbabwe. (Estonia is 27th) Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index: 153/175, immediately ahead of Tunisia, Brunei and Libya and immediately behind extra-territorial Israel, Belarus and Fiji (Estonia is 6th). Freedom House Table of Freedom: Russia in the category of “not free” with a score of 5.5 on a scale ranging from 1 as best and 7 as worst. Some of its companions with also a 5.5 score include Cambodia, Iraq, Rwanda, United Arab Emirates and Yemen (Estonia’s score is 1, “free”). CIA World Factbook Gross Domestic Product per Capita Index: Russia 58/194, immediately ahead of Malaysia, Chile and Latvia, immediately behind Lithuania, Libya and St Kitts-Nevis, and equal to Guam and New Caledonia (Estonia is 48th). Vision of Humanity Global Peace Index: Russia 143/149, immediately ahead of Israel, Pakistan and Sudan and immediately behind Congo, Chad and Georgia (Estonia is 46th) If all this was a school report, the director might add the comment, "Could do better."