On 18 December 2004, the State Duma approved in the first reading the Draft Law on Countering Terrorism. The draft, which has also been reviewed by the Legal Expert Council, a group of leading Russian human rights lawyers, contains broad definitions of “terrorism“ and “terrorist threat“ and a range of special competencies, which are not clearly defined. The law foresees special legal regimes for terrorist threats and operations, under which the executive would have far-reaching powers affecting the right to privacy, freedom of expression, association, assembly and movement.