Russia braces for tough new terror laws

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Nick Paton Walsh in Moscow
Thursday September 23, 2004
The Guardian

Snip:

Sweeping counter-terrorism laws were debated in the Russian parliament yesterday, including proposals that would allow the country to declare itself at war and impose tight restrictions on travel and the media.
Under the plans, Russian television and radio journalists would not be allowed to report on a siege until the situation had been resolved.

The measures are part of a package debated by the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, which has been tasked with drawing up a new anti-terror bill in the wake of the Beslan massacre.

Two-thirds of the Duma's MPs are members of the United Russia party, which supports the president, Vladimir Putin. This has led some analysts to worry that many of the proposed changes are not related to terrorism, but are part of a Kremlin effort to exert more central control.

It will take months for parliament to receive Kremlin approval for and finalise some of the many and far-reaching laws proposed yesterday.
More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,2763,1310585,00.html