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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Russian parliament approves tough new anti-terror law |
| 2004-12-18 |
| Russia's parliament gave preliminary approval Friday to a law allowing authorities to tap phones and ban rallies across the entire country as part of its latest anti-terror campaign. The move would allow authorities to stop traffic and detain people in "anti-terror zones" for at least 60 days after receiving authority to do so from a secret service commission created under the prime minister. Similar laws are already in place — including spying on Internet communications. However whereas previous legislation dealt primarily with national security issues related to spying from abroad, this new measure focuses specifically on counter-terrorism operations. The law says the anti-terror zones could be put in place in areas near war-torn Chechnya and "across the whole country," according to the RIA Novosti news agency. The law under consideration also makes it possible for journalists to be barred from conflict zones where an anti-terror operation is underway — specifically separatist Chechnya, where independent reporting on the decade old conflict is already complicated by federal restrictions.. The measure was passed in the first of three required readings by a 385 votes to 47, and provoked howls of outrage from human rights activists. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 After Beslan, we were behind the Russians, their govt and the US were partners in this war on Islamofascism. Not Jack Boo has happened since then. After 9-11, we were kicking butt in Afghanistan, denying santuary to terrorists. Pooty Poot is building a new Soviet Union of 1. Putin, you have been reining in power, talking a good game, but there is nothing to show for it. You have let the Russian people down, big time. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-12-18 2:26:07 AM |
| #1 Funny, Tsar Putty said all sorts of stuff he was gonna do about the terrorists a few weeks ago. He didn't seem to need no steenking laws then, so what's this about? Hell, even borders weren't a hindrance. It was impressive. It was daring. It was, I guess - if a dose of reality is added to the mix, a brain fart. The law shit, must be a hell of an inconvenience for a Tsar kind o' guy. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-18 2:11:33 AM |