Latest news with #Piskaryov
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia's FSB security service to get its own pre-trial detention centres, deputy says
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia's Federal Security Service, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, will soon have the power to create a network of pre-trial detention centres under its own jurisdiction, according to a bill passed by the lower house of parliament. After the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union and in the years after Russia joined the Council of Europe in 1996, the FSB lost its formal hold over a network of pre-trial detention centres, though it retained significant informal control. Lawmakers say that the FSB needs such detention facilities due to a spike in the intelligence and subversive activities of foreign powers since the start of the war in Ukraine - known as the "special military operation" inside Russia. Vasily Piskaryov, the chairman of the lower house of parliament's Security and Anti-Corruption Committee, said the law had been passed in its final reading by the chamber, the State Duma. "The law provides for the detention of those accused of crimes against state security in separate detention facilities under the jurisdiction of the FSB of Russia," Piskaryov said on Telegram. An explanatory note accompanying the bill said that military personnel from state security would run the detention centres. Piskaryov said that treason, espionage and terrorism cases had soared three-fold over the past decade, while the number of defendants had soared by four-fold. The FSB, headquartered on Lubyanka Square in central Moscow, is one of the world's most powerful intelligence agencies with significant counter-espionage, counter-terrorism, cyber, human intelligence and special forces capabilities. Its director, Alexander Bortnikov, reports directly to President Vladimir Putin, who himself served as a KGB officer in east Germany in the 1980s and ran the FSB before he was appointed prime minister in 1999. Opponents of Putin say that he has built an increasingly repressive political system that relies heavily on the FSB. Supporters of Putin say that Russia is under hybrid-attack from major Western powers and needs the FSB to ensure security and to preserve the sovereignty of Russia. To become law, the bill must be approved by the upper house of parliament and then signed into law by Putin, steps which usually follow swiftly once the lower house of parliament approves legislation. The bill is due to become law on January 1, 2026.
The Star
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Russia's FSB security service to get its own pre-trial detention centres, deputy says
FILE PHOTO: FSB (Federal'naya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti) logo and Russian flag are seen in this illustration taken May 6, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia's Federal Security Service, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, will soon have the power to create a network of pre-trial detention centres under its own jurisdiction, according to a bill passed by the lower house of parliament. After the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union and in the years after Russia joined the Council of Europe in 1996, the FSB lost its formal hold over a network of pre-trial detention centres, though it retained significant informal control. Lawmakers say that the FSB needs such detention facilities due to a spike in the intelligence and subversive activities of foreign powers since the start of the war in Ukraine - known as the "special military operation" inside Russia. Vasily Piskaryov, the chairman of the lower house of parliament's Security and Anti-Corruption Committee, said the law had been passed in its final reading by the chamber, the State Duma. "The law provides for the detention of those accused of crimes against state security in separate detention facilities under the jurisdiction of the FSB of Russia," Piskaryov said on Telegram. An explanatory note accompanying the bill said that military personnel from state security would run the detention centres. Piskaryov said that treason, espionage and terrorism cases had soared three-fold over the past decade, while the number of defendants had soared by four-fold. The FSB, headquartered on Lubyanka Square in central Moscow, is one of the world's most powerful intelligence agencies with significant counter-espionage, counter-terrorism, cyber, human intelligence and special forces capabilities. Its director, Alexander Bortnikov, reports directly to President Vladimir Putin, who himself served as a KGB officer in east Germany in the 1980s and ran the FSB before he was appointed prime minister in 1999. Opponents of Putin say that he has built an increasingly repressive political system that relies heavily on the FSB. Supporters of Putin say that Russia is under hybrid-attack from major Western powers and needs the FSB to ensure security and to preserve the sovereignty of Russia. To become law, the bill must be approved by the upper house of parliament and then signed into law by Putin, steps which usually follow swiftly once the lower house of parliament approves legislation. The bill is due to become law on January 1, 2026. (Reporting by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Andrew Osborn)
Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Russia's FSB security service to get its own pre-trial detention centres, deputy says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: FSB (Federal'naya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti) logo and Russian flag are seen in this illustration taken May 6, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo MOSCOW - Russia's Federal Security Service, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, will soon have the power to create a network of pre-trial detention centres under its own jurisdiction, according to a bill passed by the lower house of parliament. After the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union and in the years after Russia joined the Council of Europe in 1996, the FSB lost its formal hold over a network of pre-trial detention centres, though it retained significant informal control. Lawmakers say that the FSB needs such detention facilities due to a spike in the intelligence and subversive activities of foreign powers since the start of the war in Ukraine - known as the "special military operation" inside Russia. Vasily Piskaryov, the chairman of the lower house of parliament's Security and Anti-Corruption Committee, said the law had been passed in its final reading by the chamber, the State Duma. "The law provides for the detention of those accused of crimes against state security in separate detention facilities under the jurisdiction of the FSB of Russia," Piskaryov said on Telegram. An explanatory note accompanying the bill said that military personnel from state security would run the detention centres. Piskaryov said that treason, espionage and terrorism cases had soared three-fold over the past decade, while the number of defendants had soared by four-fold. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing bottle at SMRT bus, injuring passenger Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, vexed Asean countries have little choice but to play on Asia PM Anwar called out by his own lawmakers as Malaysia's judicial crisis heats up Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Singapore New Draft Master Plan could reignite developers' interest to buy land Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses The FSB, headquartered on Lubyanka Square in central Moscow, is one of the world's most powerful intelligence agencies with significant counter-espionage, counter-terrorism, cyber, human intelligence and special forces capabilities. Its director, Alexander Bortnikov, reports directly to President Vladimir Putin, who himself served as a KGB officer in east Germany in the 1980s and ran the FSB before he was appointed prime minister in 1999. Opponents of Putin say that he has built an increasingly repressive political system that relies heavily on the FSB. Supporters of Putin say that Russia is under hybrid-attack from major Western powers and needs the FSB to ensure security and to preserve the sovereignty of Russia. To become law, the bill must be approved by the upper house of parliament and then signed into law by Putin, steps which usually follow swiftly once the lower house of parliament approves legislation. The bill is due to become law on January 1, 2026. REUTERS
Russia Today
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russian MP threatens OSINT analysts with treason charges
People who use open-source intelligence (OSINT) to harm Russia could be charged with treason, Vasily Piskaryov, a senior member of the State Duma, said on Tuesday. OSINT analysts specialize in gathering information from 'open sources,' such as Google Maps, social media accounts, tracking websites, and publicly accessible databases. Since the mid-2010s, journalists and NGOs have increasingly used OSINT methods to monitor armed conflicts. Piskaryov, the chair of the parliamentary commission tasked with countering foreign meddling, said that 'NATO officials' were recruiting Russians living abroad to track 'the activities of our troops and the data on the bypassing of anti-Russian sanctions.' The Western countries intend to help the Ukrainian military fight Russia and to 'generate new sanctions using defectors who still have contacts in their homeland,' the lawmaker added. Read more Democratic bill threatens more sanctions on Russia – Reuters During the ongoing conflict, 'such actions could be qualified as treason,' a crime carrying the maximum punishment of life imprisonment, Piskaryov said. Earlier this month, the State Duma passed a series of laws criminalizing calls to impose sanctions on Russia for 'personal gain,' and increasing the punishment for spreading false information about the Russian troops. 'Those who cowardly fled abroad and continue to cause harm to our country by funding the Ukrainian Nazis, attempting to discredit the Russian army, and advocating for criminal actions against the Russian Federation, must understand that they will be held accountable. They will not escape justice,' the State Duma speaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, said. In 2023, Russia banned the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), an NGO known for monitoring the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. The Prosecutor General's Office described CIT as 'a group of pseudo-journalists' working to 'discredit' the Russian army. In January, CIT co-founder Ruslan Leviev, who resides in the US, confirmed on his YouTube channel that the organization has been funded through grants distributed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
