Russia Approves Terror Law in Second Reading

MosNews
Feb. 22, 2006

Lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, has approved a law on measures against terorism, in the second reading.

408 deputies voted for the law entitled On Counter-terrorist Action, one voted against it, five abstained, AFP reported.

A third and final vote on the new law was expected to take place on Sunday, after which its approval by the upper chamber of parliament, the Federation Council, and signing into law by President Vladimir Putin, was considered a formality.

The draft law, under revision since it was first debated in the Duma a year ago, aims to codify action that may be taken by the military, law enforcement agencies and other security bodies to deal with acts of terrorism in progress and to prevent them from taking place.

It states, for example, that anti-air defenses may shoot down an aircraft after confirmation that it has been hijacked and if its flight path poses a threat to vital targets or sites with a high concentration of people.

It also states that Russia reserves a right to preemptive use of force to eliminate suspected international terrorist targets outside of Russia’s borders, with respect to international treaties and agreements signed by Russia.

Controversial passages calling for media restrictions during counter-terrorism operations, contained in the first draft version of the law, were removed altogether.
But the draft approved today retained measures under which authorities can conduct phone wire taps, restrict communications, step up random identity checks and restrict means of transport to counter terrorism.

Perceived threats from terrorism would be classified either as an “emergency situation” or a “counter-terrorist operation” and that classification would subsequently determine which kinds of measures could be implemented.