Putin Orders to Prepare Legal Acts Minimizing Risks From Anti-Terror Bill

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin signed the anti-terrorism legislative package and instructed the government to work out measures to minimize possible financial risks associated with the new legislation.

“The Russian government, with the participation of the FSB, is to prepare the necessary draft regulations aimed at minimizing possible risks associated with the implementations of provisions of the federal law ‘On Amendments to the Federal Law on Combating Terrorism’ and to separate Russian legislative acts with regard to the establishment of additional measures to counter terrorism and ensure public safety,” the order, published on the Kremlin’s website, reads.

Putin also ordered the Trade Ministry and the Ministry of Communications submit proposals in terms of the financial costs of producing domestic software and equipment needed for the storage of data that must be stored by mobile operators under the new laws. The ministries should also analyze and present proposals on the possibility and terms of establishing such production lines.

The new package of laws restricts the movement of those suspected in being engaged in terrorism or extremism and lowers the age threshold for terrorism-related crimes to 14 years. According to the legislation, telecom providers and social networks will be obliged to keep information about their customers' calls and chats conducted on the Russian territory for three years, while the contents of the calls and chats should be kept for six months.

The controversial bill has been criticized by mobile operators who claim that the new laws could result in an up to threefold increase in the cost of their services.