MOSCOW. July 17 (Interfax) - The Russian State Duma security committee has approved amendments to Article 22 of the law on state secrets, which clarify the procedure for granting citizens access to state secrets and grounds for denying such access.
An official, who permanently resides abroad or has close relatives abroad, or if an official or his relatives have foreign citizenship or another document confirming their right to reside permanently in a foreign state, would be denied access to state secrets, the amendments said.
The State Duma and Federation Council chairs may decide to restrict foreign travel for a lawmaker or senator who is in possession of information of special importance or top secret information, the amendments said.
Similar decisions can be made at the regional level. For a regional lawmaker, such a decision could be made by the legislature's chair, for the head of a municipality, by the governor.
Under the new amendments, a decision to restrict foreign travel for judges of federal courts of common law and federal arbitration courts, who are in possession of information of special importance or top secret information, would be made in relation to a regulation approved by the Supreme Court judicial department in consultation with the presidium of the Council of Judges of Russia.
The federal bill will come into force 180 days after its official publication.
The approved amendments were introduced by State Duma member Anatoly Vyborny (United Russia). The bill passed the first reading on May 24. The second reading is due on July 18, the committee's resolution says.
Under the bill, access to a state secret, which was formally granted before the bill comes into force, shall remain valid until expiry. A decision to restrict foreign travel for a citizen in possession of information of special importance or top secret information, which was made before the bill comes into force, shall be valid until the restriction has expired.