Dictatorship In Russia: Putin signs law on seizing property of those who ‘discredit' Russian military
Russia’s State Duma unanimously adopted bill late January, which seeks to seize property of those who 'discredit' security forces | Russian President Dictator Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed a law adopted by the parliament in late January to seize the property of those who “discredit” the security forces. The law, published on the government portal, amends Russia’s Criminal Code and expands the list of crimes for which the confiscation of one’s property may be provided, including knowingly disseminating "false information" about the country's security forces. ● The law refers to crimes committed specifically "for selfish reasons", and calls for the confiscation of a convicted person’s money, valuables, or other property that they received because of committing a crime or used for activities directed against "Russia’s security". The Russian State Duma, the lower house of the country’s parliament, adopted the bill unanimously during a session on Jan. 31 in the second and third readings.
■ Putin signs law on confiscation of property for disseminating fake news about Russian army (TASS)
■ EDITOR: This is a Russia we can no longer support. Vague concepts like 'discredit', 'false information', and this one: 'for selfish reasons' (that's a good one) are unacceptable in a democracy. — Extraordinary! And of course the traditional one, 'Russia's security'. The group mind behind a parliament adopting something like this unanimously certainly is scary, and would indicate a final goodbye to democratic ideals. ● Now there's a military dictatorship in Russia, one with a civilian façade. — A captive president and a totalitarian parliament. A war state. ● This certainly doesn't bode well for the future. From here on, it is a race to the bottom. One is reminded of William Butler Yeats' remarkable poem "The Second Coming": "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold." — Darkness is indeed falling on this world. (AWIP, 02/14/24)