Russia: Love it or Leave it

Falkenhayn · Post by **Falkenhayn** » 2005-01-12 08:22pm

Russia visa risk for 'disrespect'

The bill does not define what Russian values are
Russia's parliament has given its initial backing to a visa bill that could lead to a ban on foreign visitors showing "disrespect" to the country.
Anyone found by a court to have offended Russian values, authorities or symbols may be barred from entering but the bill does not define such offenses.

The bill would also restrict entry for people with infectious disease conditions such as HIV.

Rights groups fear it could be used to keep government critics out of Russia.

The bill must pass another two readings in the Duma before it can be ratified.

The Duma, or lower house of parliament, passed the bill in its first reading without debate.

The BBC's Steve Rosenberg reports from Moscow that it is a bill designed to enhance Russia's national security, but it raises the fear of new barriers between East and West.

'Nothing complicated'

In the words of the bill, which contains nearly 100 amendments to laws governing the status of non-Russians, foreign nationals can be kept out for having harmed Russia's "generally accepted spiritual, cultural and social values".

The bill does not specify what these values are.

Symbols of Russia, ranging from flags to images of its leaders, are known to have been mocked or defaced in former Soviet republics.

Anyone judged by a court to have damaged the country's reputation abroad could be affected, with the decision in each case taken by either the president, parliament, government or a court, said one of the bill's authors, Vladimir Pligin.

"The restriction will be imposed only when the fact of committing disrespectful actions is established in court," he said.

A spokesman for Human Rights Watch in Moscow told the BBC that, if adopted, the law would give the government a free hand to close the borders to anyone who was not welcome in Russia.

Curbs are proposed on foreign visitors who are addicted to drugs or have infectious diseases. Under the law, long-term visas could be denied to anyone who cannot prove they are not carrying the HIV virus, which causes Aids.

Mr Pligin told Reuters news agency there was "nothing complicated" about the bill.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4168701.stm

Post by **Vympel** » 2005-01-12 10:06pm

That's stupid. Hopefully it doesn't pass.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2005-01-12 10:46pm

Wow, Russia sure has progressed since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2005-01-12 11:18pm

In Soviet Russia, government disrespects you.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2005-01-13 12:50am

Joe wrote:In Soviet Russia, government disrespects you.

That was surprisingly accurate.

Anyways, the only good thing that will come from this bill is kicking out those bastards from the Baltic states out of Russia for the things they are doing to Russians living in their countries. But that's the only good thing coming from that bill. It's Putin's attempt at creating a new Iron Curtain.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Post by **Vympel** » 2005-01-13 02:50am

fgalkin wrote: That was surprisingly accurate.

Anyways, the only good thing that will come from this bill is kicking out those bastards from the Baltic states out of Russia for the things they are doing to Russians living in their countries. But that's the only good thing coming from that bill. It's Putin's attempt at creating a new Iron Curtain.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

I wouldn't say that. It's an Iron ... Blind?

Post by **Coyote** » 2005-01-13 09:16am

Maybe it's an Iron Bead Curtain. You know, an Iron Curtain, but somehow fun and carefree in appearance.

Zed Snardbody · Post by **Zed Snardbody** » 2005-01-13 12:34pm

Iron bead sheet thumb tacked to the wall? Effective, but improvised? Meh.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2005-01-13 02:47pm

Uncle Joe is now Don Joe.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 2005-01-13 03:28pm

We need this in the South. Actually, Russia probably got it from us. Damnable Russian thieves.

You can't trust them you know. At least that is what my Greek barber told me.

Post by **Vympel** » 2005-01-13 10:36pm

Jeremy wrote:We need this in the South. Actually, Russia probably got it from us. Damnable Russian thieves.

You can't trust them you know. At least that is what my Greek barber told me.

That's strange, ordinarily Greeks love the Russians. It's the whole Orthodox thing.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2005-01-14 12:29am

By that token, the Greeks ought to be exchanging gift baskets of fruit with the Macedonians, and we know how that goes.