MOSCOW, November 14 - RAPSI. The law increasing the severity of punishment for disclosing state secrets and imposing criminal liability for the illegal acquisition of classified information will be published by Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily on Wednesday, the newspaper's press service reports.

The law will come into effect after it has been published. It was approved by the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian Parliament) on October 31.

The law broadens the definition of "state treason" and "espionage" to the Criminal Code. It has met with a mixed reaction to the law from society, as some fear that the vagueness of the definitions may lead to abuses in law enforcement practice.Human rights activists, including Lyudmila Alexeyeva and Lev Ponomaryov, asked President Vladimir Putin to reject the law on state treason and hold a public discussion on the subject.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports that even official work contracted with foreign civic organizations could be deemed as criminal if investigators prove that the organizations acted against Russia. In addition, any individual who came across secret information, not just through work, but also through study or in other cases will be liable to appear before court.

The law expands the three articles of the Criminal Code on "state treason", "espionage", and "disclosure of state secrets". A new article entitled "illegal obtainment of data which form part of state secret information" is also being introduced to the Criminal Code.