Andreas Schockenhoff, Coordinator of German-Russian Intersocietal Cooperation, issued the following statement today (4 July) on the plan to push through a bill in the Russian parliament which would give the Federal Security Service (FSB) even greater powers:

”The plan to change the law and increase the FSB’s powers makes me worry that arbitrary panel legislation could be to the detriment of the rule of law in Russia.

NGOs, independent experts and state representatives have all voiced their concern that this legislation may not meet rule-of-law standards, that it could undermine the separation of powers and increase the danger of misuse due to the lack of concrete regulations.

I therefore urge the State Duma and the Russian Government to avoid any ambiguity as to the protection of the civil rights enshrined in the Russian constitution, both in creating and implementing legislation.“