The YABLOKO party demands from the State Duma to decline the
draft law envisaging broadening of competence of the Federal
Security Service (FSB) connected with the so-called “special
preventive measures” against extremism.
The draft law stipulating that the FSB has the right to announce
to the Russian citizens official warnings for the actions
that can allegedly cause extremism and arrest them for 15
days for non-obeying to the lawful demand by the FSB officer
creates grounds for violation of the law by the FSB staff
and is targeted against the dissenting.
Taking into account the lack of transparency and control
of the Russian secret services and an extremely wide interpretation
of the notion “extremist activity”, as well as systematic
bans on rallies and pickets the draft law initiated by the
Russian government provides unlimited prospects for security
services’ arbitrary rule.
The sanction for non-obeying the warning distorts the legal
liability principle, as the liability takes place in case
of a definite wrongdoing. The proposed norm envisages in some
cases (e.g., for participation in the actions that are not
agreed upon with the authorities) even tougher liability for
the same violations than envisaged in the present law.
In addition, the grounds for issuing a warning are so vaguely
worded that any action can virtually be announced as “causing
or creating conditions for crime”, moreover the draft law
even does not envisage any appeal against such a warning in
the court.
This draft law is unable to stop potential terrorists. Its
goal is to ease preventive reprisals against the opposition.
Obviously, this initiative comes directly from Vladimir Putin
and is aiming at discrediting the statements and declarations
by its successor and competitor Dmitry Medvedev.
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chairman of the YABLOKO party
See also:
Human
Rights
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