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Basic provisions of controversial anti-terror package come into force in Russia

The new anti-terror provisions have caused great controversy in society

Russia's lower house deputy and member of the ruling United Russia party Irina Yarovaya Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

Russia's lower house deputy and member of the ruling United Russia party Irina Yarovaya

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. The basic provisions of the controversial anti-terror package of laws are coming into force in Russia on Wednesday.

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The media dubbed the new legislation as the Yarovaya anti-terror package as it was developed by lower house deputy and member of the ruling United Russia party Irina Yarovaya jointly with Senator Viktor Ozerov.

The new anti-terror provisions caused great controversy in society, primarily, due to the fears of Russian communications operators that their financial burden might increase over the need to comply with the new requirements.

Criticism was voiced not only by deputies from the opposition factions in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, but also by the non-parliamentary opposition, business ombudsman Boris Titov and the presidential Council for Human Rights.

In the wake of this criticism, President Vladimir Putin who signed the anti-terror package also gave instructions to the government to watch closely the implementation of the new legislation to minimize possible risks related to the communications operators’ expenditures and the use of domestic equipment for data storage. If necessary, the government should come up with the relevant initiatives.

Life sentence for international terrorism

The document expands the Criminal Code’s list of crimes against peace and security of mankind to incorporate "international terrorism," which is defined as "an explosion, arson or other acts committed outside Russia and endangering the life, health, freedom or inviolability of Russian citizens for the purpose of disrupting the peaceful co-existence of states and peoples or aimed against Russia’s interests, and also a threat of committing these acts."

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Russian Post says it needs $7.7 bln to implement new anti-terror package

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Human rights Fight against terrorism Media freedom Freedom of speech Russia's domestic policy

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