Patriot Paradox
Posted on 12/03/2004 12:17:00 AM PST by flamefront
News reports on terrorism to be censored in Russia -
Journalists will have to stick to certain regulations in their reports about terrorist acts
The Russian government may equate street meetings to terrorist acts. A paragraph about it is included in the draft law \u2320About the counteraction to terrorism,\u25a0 which was submitted to the State Duma the day before yesterday. The draft law was developed by the Russian Federal Security Bureau.
The new law introduces a new term in the Russian legislation \u221a \u2320the terrorist danger regime.\u25a0 The term means that authorities will be empowered with restricting the pedestrian and the car traffic in the streets in case of a terrorist threat. In addition, special services will be entitled to tap telephones and ban massive street meetings. The draft law also stipulates that mass media outlets will not be allowed to conduct independent activities in the area of counter-terrorist operations. The terrorist danger regime can be put into effect for up to 60 days.
Having taken into consideration the hostage crisis experience in Moscow and Beslan, the authors of the law restricted mass media's opportunity to report details of a terrorist act. A chairman of the counter-terrorist headquarters will regulate the form and the amount of the information provided to media outlets at this point, the Kommersant newspaper wrote. Furthermore, accessing a special operation zone for journalists and reporters can be prohibited. If the press is allowed to report from the site of a special operation, it will not be possible for journalists to use candid cameras, take pictures and audio recordings without a special permission for that from the chairman of the special headquarters. To crown it all, the new draft law prohibits exposing the information about scenes or facts of extreme violence.
The new law has not evoked a universal approval in the Russian society, though. Experts stand against the media censorship as far as news reports about terrorist acts are concerned. However, they urge journalists not to assist terrorists with reports and publications. Oleg Khlobustov, a professor of the FSB Academy, said during a press conference that terrorists often used mass media to prepare new attacks.
\u25a0Media outlets often expose various characteristics of terrorists' bombs, for example. Furthermore, reporters may add something about a way to make the destructive effect more powerful. One may apply the following classification to all terrorists: they can be mentally unbalanced people, professionally trained guerrillas, or those who learn terrorism from TV, radio and newspapers,\u25a0 Oleg Khlobustov said. A fourth of the terrorists can be referred to the last category.
The expert suggested the use of certain regulations, which journalists will have to stick to in their reports about acts of terrorism. \u2320In my opinion, terrorists' requirements and statements must not appear without adequate comments from the special services. Journalists are not supposed to interview hostages, especially children, when they experience a state of profound shock and stress. The live broadcasting of special operations is not supposed to take place either,\u25a0 Khlobustov added.
Oleg Nechiporenko, the General Director of the national anti-criminal and the anti-terrorist foundation, said that the anti-terrorist struggle gave birth to a new weapon of mass destruction, which was aimed against the mind of the society: \u2320This weapon works on account of abundant information about terrorism in the media,\u25a0 said he.
Yegor Belous
Yeah. Unlike here.
/sarcasm
Liquidation of the political opposition ==> anti-terrorist action
Anti-terrorist action ==> covered by state secrecy laws ==> nobody gets to learn what went down.
Is the new Russia, now the old Russia?
How would Al Jazeera respond to this?
It looks like they are attempting to create a Singapore business dictatorship with a Soviet accent.
These Conspiracy Theorists would love it.
http://www.infowars.com
Sure looks that way.
I think it is the same Russia.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.