Russia's parliament on Friday voted to boost the powers of the successor to the Soviet KGB, allowing it to summon people it believes are about to commit a crime and threaten jail for those who disobey its orders.

Rights groups say the proposed regulations could be used to detain opposition activists and independent journalists and undermines President Dmitry Medvedev's promises to foster civil rights.

An amendment to the law on the FSB, the main domestic security service, was passed in the first of three required readings in the State Duma, which is dominated by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.

If adopted, it would allow the FSB to issue a legally binding summons to any citizen whose actions it considers as "causing or creating the conditions for committing a crime."

Citizens who "disobey a legitimate order" from an FSB agent would face up to 15 days in prison, according to the bill.

Rights groups say the two changes taken together could allow the FSB to detain anyone it likes without any judicial process.


Reuters