State of emergency in Russia (Russian: чрезвычайное положение в Российской Федерации) is a special legal regime that is introduced in the country or its regions to protect against an internal threat. The state of emergency involves restricting the rights and freedoms of citizens and legal entities, as well as imposing additional duties on them. In this case, the state of emergency, which is introduced in the case of violent unrest or clash, coup attempt, natural disaster, or man-made disaster, should be distinguished from the martial law regime that is introduced in the event of external aggression. The procedure for introducing and lifting a state of emergency in Russia is regulated by the federal constitutional law "On the State of Emergency" (2001), which replaced the 1991 law of the same name. Earlier, the State Duma made several attempts to prepare and adopt a law, especially during the state of emergency on parts of the territory of North Ossetia and Ingushetia (1992–1995), but none of these attempts were successful.
History In Russia, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a state of emergency was not introduced at the federal level. On November 9, 1991, President Boris Yeltsin introduced a state of emergency in Chechen-Ingushetia Republic, where Dzhokhar Dudayev signed a decree on declaration of independence of the Chechnya. However, the Supreme Council of the RSFSR refused to approve this decree, and already on November 11, the state of emergency was terminated. On November 2, 1992, Yeltsin introduced a state of emergency in Ingushetia and North Ossetia, where an ethnic conflict erupted. A year earlier in Chechnya, a special management procedure was introduced here, and an interim administration was appointed. The head of the interim administration was Federal Deputy Prime Minister Georgy Khizh, his deputy the head of the State Committee for Emergency Situations Sergey Shoigu. On March 31, 1993, the state of emergency in North Ossetia and Ingushetia was canceled. Instead, the president introduced a state of emergency in parts of the Prigorodny district of North Ossetia and the Nazran district of Ingushetia and in the surrounding areas, which was then extended several times. However, in early 1995, the Federation Council refused to authorize the next extension of this regime, and it was canceled until February 15, 1995. From October 3 to 4, 1993, Yeltsin introduced a state of emergency in Moscow to suppress protesters against the dispersal of the Supreme Soviet.
Introduction and сancellation The state of emergency in Russia is introduced by the president under the circumstances stipulated by the law "On the state of emergency", with immediate notification of this to the Federation Council and the State Duma. The law "On the state of emergency" introduces the concept of goals and circumstances of the state of emergency. A state of emergency is introduced to "eliminate the circumstances that served as the basis for the introduction of a state of emergency, to ensure the protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, and to protect the constitutional order of the Russian Federation". A state of emergency is introduced only if circumstances constitute "an immediate threat to the life and security of citizens or the constitutional system of the Russian Federation", including:
attempts to violently change the constitutional system of the Russian Federation, armed rebellion, regional conflicts, etc. natural and man-made emergencies, natural disasters, etc. A state of emergency is introduced by presidential decree throughout Russia for not more than 30 days or in certain areas for not more than 60 days with the right to extend them by a new presidential decree. When the objectives of the state of emergency are achieved, it is canceled in whole or in part. The presidential decree on introducing a state of emergency does not require prior coordination with the leadership of the constituent entities of the Federation. Still, it must be approved by the Federation Council "as soon as possible" within 72 hours from the decree's promulgation date. A decree automatically loses force if not approved by the Federation Council after three days. A presidential decree to extend a state of emergency requires the same approval by the Federation Council. Moreover, the decree is subject to immediate official publication and immediate publication by radio and television. The state of emergency is ensured mainly by the internal affairs bodies, the penal system, federal security agencies, the national guard, and rescuers. In exceptional cases, the military may be used to restrict entry, protect critical infrastructure, separate the warring parties, suppress the activities of illegal armed groups, eliminate emergencies, and save people. At the same time, all troops in the emergency zone are transferred to operational subordination to a single federal agency.
Permissible limitations A presidential decree on the imposition of a state of emergency should contain "an exhaustive list of temporary restrictions on the rights and freedoms of citizens of the Russian Federation, foreign citizens and stateless persons, the rights of organizations and public associations". The State of Emergency Act provides three groups of time limits the president may impose.
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