National security laws

Russian human rights council asks Putin to reject controversial anti-terror bills

The Russian presidential Council for Civil Society Development and Human Rights has requested the head of state to reject a controversial package of anti-terror bills approved by the upper house on Wednesday.

"After discussing the laws adopted by the State Duma [the lower house of Russia’s parliament] and approved by the Federation Council [the upper house] and known as the anti-terror package of Irina Yarovaya and Viktor Ozerov, the Council is urging to … turn them down owing to their unconstitutionality, the inconsistency and the legal uncertainty of some of their provisions," according to the Council’s appeal to President Vladimir Putin posted on the Council’s website on Thursday.

The Federation Council approved on Wednesday a package of anti-terror bills prepared by MP Yarovaya and Senator Viktor Ozerov.

The first law of the anti-terror package was supported by 151 senators with four abstentions. The second document got the approval of 141 parliamentarians, with five votes against it and nine abstentions.

Many provisions of the bills’ initial wording caused heated discussions both in society and among parliamentarians.