A proposal to give the State Security Service additional powers and to make appropriate amendments to the law were submitted to the People’s Assembly of Abkhazia on the initiative of the president. However, parliament rejected the draft by a majority with 16 against and 2 in favor.
The proporsal was to give the SSS the right to issue an official warning about the inadmissibility of actions that create conditions for the commission of crimes. Lawyers have, not surprisingly, strongly criticized this vague wording.
The State Security Service already has the right to investigate crimes that threaten the security of the state. The law lists eighteen types of such crimes, but the adoption of amendments would make it possible to add almost any criticism of the state to the list.
“For example, the State Security Service may consider that a speech or article by an opposition politician or just comments on social networks by ordinary people create conditions for committing a crime.
What can be considered ‘conditions for committing a crime’ will be determined taking into account the instructions from above and in order to combat those who disagree,” as one person said of the bill on Facebook.
“An attempt to promote repressive methods in Abkhazia” – comments by lawyers and human rights activists
MP Vianor Bebiya called the initiative “the law of North Korea.”
His colleague Inar Gitsba believes: “There is an opinion that this law is aimed at restricting constitutional rights — freedom of speech and thought. This will create an authoritarian regime.”
Commissioner for Human Rights Asida Shakryl: “Recently, attempts have been made to promote repressive methods in Abkhazia, to legislate norms that destroy the principles and values of Abkhaz society and restrict rights and freedoms.
We are talking about plans to legalize methods of intimidation – calls for interviews, interrogations at the State Security Service and warnings – in relation to those who express their opinion. Deputies, refusing the unjustified expansion of powers of the RA State Security Service, did not allow Abkhaz society to be plunged into an atmosphere of lies, suspiciom, fear and hopelessness, which it tragically experienced during the times of Stalin and Beria.
The Parliament confirmed that Abkhazian society does not intend to revive and strengthen a destructive authoritarian system of government. And this brings optimism and strengthens faith in democracy – the rule of the people.”
Public figure, co-director of the Center for Humanitarian Programs Liana Kvarchelia: “The executive branch has created a threat to the political system in Abkhazia. Conditions for a police state are being created, and they started with foreign agents. They found it easier to start with NGOs. Hang all sorts of labels, wind up the corresponding public sentiments — and push the law through when there is no one to object to it.
This is only the first stage. If the law is adopted, it is easy to amend it and endlessly expand it not only at the expense of legal entities and the media, but also at the expense of individuals.
This is an attack on freedom from different sides. Respect to MPs! It was an important day, and we had no idea.
Everything becomes suspiciously opaque. I hope the deputies will return to discussing the possibility of live broadcasts of parliamentary sessions.”
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