Expanded definition of extremism finally approved

On July 14, the Federation Council approved adopted by the State Duma on July 8 the amendments , expanding the definition of extremist activity.

These amendments pose a serious threat of unlawful restriction of civil rights and freedoms, including freedom of conscience. In particular, the inclusion in the definition of extremism of the "justification" of the same extremism means that any, even the most moderate, defense of those who are accused of preaching religious intolerance also turns out to be "extremism", and this is fraught with the closure of the publication that published the text or the closure of the way of organization.

For example, the episode with Mufti Nafigulla Ashirov's commentary on the texts of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which was an obvious arbitrariness on the part of the prosecutor's office, would now turn out to be completely legal. And such episodes will certainly be repeated.

On July 28, the law amending was signed by President Putin.

Sources

• The Federation Council approved amendments to the law "On countering extremist activity" // LentaCom.ru. 2006. 14 July.