Amendments to the Criminal Code and the law on countering extremist activities have been sent to the Supreme Court

On January 27, 2006, a "round table" was held in the State Duma in Moscow, at which the head of the State Duma Committee on Civil, Criminal, Arbitration and Procedural Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov announced that amendments to the Criminal Code and the law on countering extremist activity.

According to these amendments, more severe criminal liability is established for public calls for the implementation of extremist activities, as well as for actions aimed at inciting hatred or enmity, at humiliating the dignity of a person or a group of persons on the grounds of gender, race, nationality, language, origin, attitude towards religion, belonging to any social group using not only the media, but also the Internet.

As the participants of the round table emphasized, criminal liability is being introduced for the production, distribution of extremist materials, and trade in them. The criminal liability for the organization of an extremist community and participation in it is being increased. The law also provides for the establishment of criminal liability for involvement in the commission of crimes of an extremist nature, participation in an extremist community or organization, as well as financing of extremist activities.

In addition, the document expands the requirements for preventing the use of the Internet for extremist activities and defines the circle of persons responsible for this. The new law establishes administrative responsibility in relation to persons responsible for managing the content of public information resources if they do not take measures to prevent the placement of extremist materials in these resources.

Sources

• Amendments to toughen punishment for extremism sent to the Supreme Court // Gazeta.ru. 2006. January 27.