"Klishas Law" approved by the Federation Council

On July 9, 2014, the Federation Council approved a law toughening punishment for "calls for separatism" and extending its effect to statements made on the Internet.

On July 9, 2014, the Federation Council approved the law "On Amendments to Article 280.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation", submitted to the State Duma by a member Federation Council Andrei Klishas.

This document was accepted in the first reading on July 2, 2014, and already on July 4 it overcame the second reading. date of the third readings on the website of the Automated System for Ensuring Legislative activity is not specified (perhaps this is a technical error due to haste and a large amount of work at the end of the spring session of the Duma).

Recall that the law toughens the punishment under the recently entered into force article 280.1 of the Criminal Code, the composition of which is formulated as follows: " Public calls for the implementation of actions aimed at violating the territorial integrity Russian Federation ".

We have a negative attitude towards the introduced art. 280.1 of the Criminal Code. Current definition extremist activity does contain a clause on violent changing the constitutional order and violating the integrity of the Russian Federation. This item is like has already been noted more than once, is formulated incorrectly (see, for example, the opinion of the Venice Commission on the Federal Law "On Counteracting Extremist activities"), since it is not obvious that the definition "violent" refers not only to changing the order, but also to integrity violation. We continue to insist that extremism has attitude is only violent separatism.

Further tightening of penalties under this article and, most importantly, the spread its actions on statements on the Internet in general seems to us an offensive to freedom of speech, which could lead to unlawful persecution.

Sources

• Draft Law No. 527285-6 "On Amendments to Article 280-1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation" // Website of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. 2014. July 9.
• The Federation Council approved the law on tougher penalties for public calls for separatism // RBC.ru. 2014. July 9.
• Putin signs laws adopted by parliament in spring session // RIA News. 2014. July 9.