FSB to Enjoy More Powers in Russia

Many important changes have occurred in Russia since Vladimir Putin had been elected President. One of the most tangible changes was the strengthening of the Federal Security Agency (FSB), successor of the Soviet Union secret police, better known as KGB. Once an institution predominantly engaged in domestic affairs, under Putin the FSB became the main security service of the state with “the right to operate abroad, collect information, and carry out special operations” (Soldatov). Just mentioning the fact that the FSB’s budget is not published and the total number of officers is undisclosed gives you an idea of how much power this institution really enjoys (Soldatov). Although many believed that Medvedev as a professional lawyer would not continue Putin’s policy of strengthening the security services, to everybody’s surprise, this past July he signed off a bill granting the FSB more powers. In the opinion of numerous human rights activists in Russia and abroad this bill may dramatically increase FSB influence over Russian society.

A total of 354 deputies in the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, voted for the bill granting the FSB the right to issue “official warnings to individuals whose actions are deemed to be creating the conditions for crime”(“Russia Gives Powers”). Only 96 deputies were against. This is not surprising, taken into account that the majority of seats in the Russian Parliament are distributed between the ruling United Russia party headed by Prime Minister Putin and the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic party (pro-Putin because it is the only way it can keep afloat). According to the Russian government, the new law is aimed at combating extremism and protecting the average Russian after Moscow's subway system had been hit by dual suicide bombers at the end of March. The problem is that the state’s definition of “extremism” has become quite broad in the past few years. Now it includes “slandering of a public official, hindering the work of authorities and involvement in hooliganism or vandalism for ideological, religious or ethnic reasons” (Golloher). So, pretty much any activity could be identified as extremist in Russia nowadays.

The new law expending FSB powers has raised many protests among oppositional and human rights groups in Russia. Rights activist Ludmilla Alexeeva, the head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, says that “the new law reminds her of a warning she received for her political activities in 1974, when KGB agents arrived at her place of work in a black car and immediately detained her” (Joselow). Some even say that "the new bill gives the FSB back the powers of special services of totalitarian regimes” (“Russian Parliament Enlarges”). Others believe the new law has an alternate purpose: “to stifle dissent and to scare political activists away from holding protests and rallies” (Joselow).

The anxiety of human rights groups is quite understandable. Thanks to unlimited rights and immunity from top government officials, the FSB managed to put in jail numerous people of political interest to the Kremlin, to include prominent scientists and oligarchs. One of the Kremlin’s most powerful political opponents, Mikhail Khodorkovsky - former CEO of the Russian oil company Yukos - is still in jail. Now with even more powers, the FSB could easily curtail the rights of government critics and the independent media - important components of a democratic state. Therefore, granting more rights to the FSB will move Russia even further from becoming a true democratic state – something Medvedev committed himself to at the very beginning of his presidential term.


Works cited

Joselow, Gabe. “Russian Opposition Sees Shadow of KGB in New Security Bill.” GlobalSecurity.org. 19 July 2010. 1 Sept. 2010 .

Golloher, Jessica. “Russia's Security Service Could Gain Powers Formerly Associated With Soviet KGB.” News.com English. 5 June 2010. 29 Aug. 2010 .

“Russia Gives Powers to FSB to prosecute 'thought crime.'” Telegraph. 29 July 2010, 1 Sept. 2010 .

Soldatov, Andrei and Irina Borogan. Foreign Affairs. Sept./Oct. 2010. Vol. 89, No 5. pp. 80-97.