Russia visa risk for 'disrespect'

[shamrock_uk]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4168701.stm

Methinks Putin is going to have to be taken down a peg or two, otherwise this is starting to look like a slippery slope.

Russia visa risk for 'disrespect' 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. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...pe/4168701.stm Published: 2005/01/12 16:22:22 GMT © BBC MMV

[John D Harris]

It maybe a Slippery Slope, Sham, but it is their country after all. I'm not making a moral judgement on the "rightness or wrongness" of such a law, just that a goverment of a country's job is to make laws for that country.

[Sir Degrader]

My sentiments exact, its their country, let them bungle it the way they see fit.

[Azred]

I really don't think this is a bridge they want to cross. The most interesting part is that the bill doesn't even define what "Russian values" means, so that could be anything. A law that isn't clear is a really bad law. [img]graemlins/nono.gif[/img]

[shamrock_uk]

I agree with your sentiments there Azred.

John D and Sir Degrader - if it was a small country of little consequence I would probably agree with you, but Russia is still a country with a large enough influence to cause problems.

Look at the Ukranian elections and Russian threats to intervene there - in the end, we were lucky and nothing happened, but I think the world should be taking more of an interest in the gradual, but inexorable, tightening of state control that has been occurring in the last couple of years.

A little international political pressure now could do a lot to alleviate a situation which might be so much worse in several years time...

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Does the running joke I have with my friends count as disrespect? Where we say things like, "In Russia, Tetris plays YOU!" and, "In Russia, book reads YOU!" What about our atrocious attempts at Russian accents?

[johnny]

Originally posted by Illumina Drathiran'ar: Does the running joke I have with my friends count as disrespect? Where we say things like, "In Russia, Tetris plays YOU!" and, "In Russia, book reads YOU!" What about our atrocious attempts at Russian accents?

Yes, it does comrad Illuminova, you are no longer welcome in the friendly peoples replublic of Russia. [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[John D Harris]

Originally posted by shamrock_uk: I agree with your sentiments there Azred. John D and Sir Degrader - if it was a small country of little consequence I would probably agree with you, but Russia is still a country with a large enough influence to cause problems. Look at the Ukranian elections and Russian threats to intervene there - in the end, we were lucky and nothing happened, but I think the world should be taking more of an interest in the gradual, but inexorable, tightening of state control that has been occurring in the last couple of years. A little international political pressure now could do a lot to alleviate a situation which might be so much worse in several years time...

I agree that the greater the power the greater the responsibility. I even agree with your assessment of the Putster. But after all is said and done with the lovefest The fact still remains that it is the government of Russia's responsibility to make the laws for the soverign country of Russia. That in no way is making a moral judgement on wiether the law is good or not. It is just saying the Russian Government has the right and ability to make what laws they can make and enforce, no matter how stupid or intelligent,others believe the laws to be. Let's say that the UK passes a law "XYZ", so good so far. Now lets say the people of Mexico believe that law is stupid. What right do the people of Mexico have to tell the law makers of the UK what laws they should write? What maybe good for one culture may not be good for another culture. There's nothing wrong with a little international political pressure, "Hale" that's what makes the world go round. How much worse can the tighting get? After all the world surived the USSR and it's grip on nearly 1/3 of the world.

[Cloudbringer]

LOL Well, I'm not worried, I'm sure they have a big ol' file on me from my 8 months of living there already.

[John D Harris]

Originally posted by Cloudbringer: LOL Well, I'm not worried, I'm sure they have a big ol' file on me from my 8 months of living there already.

Comradette Cloudbringer, your file grows daily