The Daily Clarity

Putin reducing human rights in Russia – again

  In yet another step to reduce the rights of Russians to express their opinions without it being a crime, Putin has drafted a new bill which  changes the definition of  ‘treason’ under Russian law. The new definition is so wide it amounts to silencing any voices of dissent  to his policies. This follows on from the act recently passed by the Kremlin, to remove juries from any cases involving violence against the state’s interests. Putin is dialing back to the legal system of the Bolsheviks, and is making a mockery of the new Russian constitution. Associated Press summarizes the new definition thus, “The draft [bill] extends the definition of treason from breaching Russia’s external security to damaging the nation’s constitutional order, sovereignty or territorial integrity. That would essentially let authorities interpret any act against the interests of the state as treason – a crime prosecutable by up to 20 years in prison.”  This is a major extension from the current Russian law which defines treason as ’actions harming external security by passing information to foreign parties.’

While the change in definition may at first glance appear minor, in reality it is a major change, and one whose interpretation by the courts could lead to a significant reduction in human rights.  Under the proposed bill,  ”treason” will now include inaction as well as action, includes a breach to internal security and adds international organizations to foreign ones as those forbidden to receive state secrets. Commentators  warned the loose wording  in the bill will give authorities ample leeway to prosecute those who cooperate with international rights groups. There were great hops at the time the new Russian constitution was drafted, but Putin has, over the last 8 years, slowly changed it law by law to a point where it appears that absolute state control is once again a reality for the Russian people. The AP report cites part of a statement made by activists voicing their concern over the draft bill, “It returns the Russian justice to the times of 1920-1950s,” the activists said in a statement, urging lawmakers to oppose what they described as the “legislation in the spirit of Stalin and Hitler.”The activists included the head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Lyudmila Alexeyeva, and the head of Civic Assistance, Svetlana Gannushkina.” The world had great hope about the transformation of the old Russia to a modern sovereign state, but as each day passes the old Russia seems to be reasserting itself more and more.