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Russia to expand legal definition of treason
by Scott Gilbreath ~ December 16th, 2008
The Russian Duma (parliament) appears set to expand the legal definitions of treason and espionage. Political experts and activists are concerned that the changes could be interpreted as outlawing any criticism of the government.
In the Russian Criminal Code, treason currently is defined as taking action aimed at damaging the country’s external security. Espionage is defined as revealing state secrets to foreign governments, their organizations, or their representatives.
The government submitted a bill to the State Duma on December 12 widening treason to include endangering Russia’s “constitutional order, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” Likewise, the definition of espionage will be expanded to include revealing state secrets to foreign NGOs.
Not surprisingly, rights activists are duly distressed. The daily “Kommersant” quoted Lev Levinson of the Human Rights Institute as saying that that if the authorities are really going to interpret “any action directed against the constitutional regime” as treason, then its goal was apparently “to restore the Stalinist norm when anti-Soviet activity was a criminal offense.”
Why make this change now? The worldwide economic crisis is driving the Russian economy into recession, and public opinion polls show increasing dissatisfaction with the government. Perhaps Vladimir Putin fears that public unrest could erupt and wants legal authority to put down such threats to his continued rule.
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