A draft law has been submitted to the State Duma, which, among other things, provides for a ban on leaving Russia for lawyers who have access to state secrets. The draft law is published on the website of the lower house of parliament.
Amendments are being made to the laws “On State Secrets” and “On the Procedure for Departure from the Russian Federation and Entry into the Russian Federation.” The bill regulates the procedure for access to state secrets. The document was submitted to the parliament by a group of deputies headed by the chairman of the Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption Vasily Piskarev.
In the explanatory note, the authors explain the need for amendments by the “emergence of new security threats”, “sanction pressure from Western countries”, “in connection with this, cases of unauthorized trips abroad” by carriers of state secrets, and “a significant increase in the activity of foreign intelligence services”.
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Thus, according to the bill, officials or citizens admitted to state secrets may be banned from leaving Russia and restricted in their “right to privacy during the period of verification activities.” The list, in particular, includes lawyers.
Ministers and other heads of federal departments, senators, deputies of the State Duma, heads of municipalities and judges who have access to information of particular importance or top secret on a “special basis” will be required to notify the FSB of their upcoming trip abroad.
At the same time, according to Piskarev, the bill provides that citizens who are restricted in their right to travel abroad due to their knowledge of information constituting state secrets will be able to temporarily leave Russia in the event of humanitarian circumstances. For example, in connection with the death of close relatives or the need for emergency treatment.
Carriers of classified information, according to the bill, will be required to report when they have grounds for refusing access to state secrets, as well as about persons who “made attempts” to obtain secret information from them.
The authorities have also suggested taking away passports for safekeeping from those who have access to information marked “top secret” and “special importance.”
Access to state secrets is proposed to be banned for those who have property abroad or a bank account. “This will help minimize the risks of pressure on our secret carriers by unfriendly states,” Piskarev said.
The amendments will also affect those who are called up for service or military training. Now the authorities will not ask their consent for access to state secrets. After obtaining this permit, conscripts may be prohibited from traveling abroad.
