The bill on the use of Nazi symbols was adopted in the first reading

The State Duma adopted in the first reading one of two bills that would ease the ban on displaying symbols of banned organizations.

On June 25, 2019, the State Duma of the Russian Federation approved in the first reading the bill "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts in Part of Improving the Legal Regulation of the Use of Nazi Symbols in Works of Science, Literature, and Art". It is included in the package of bills by Elena Yampolskaya ("United Russia"), along with a proposal to amend Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (propaganda or public display of Nazi paraphernalia or symbols, or paraphernalia or symbols of extremist organizations, or other paraphernalia or symbols, the promotion or public display of which is prohibited by federal laws).

The bill is intended to abolish the absolute ban on the display of Nazi symbols, which is contained in the Federal Law "On perpetuating the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945", as well as to adjust the wording of the Federal Law "On countering extremist activity" accordingly. The second bill from the same package, which has not yet been considered by the Duma, proposes to restrict the effect of Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. We wrote more about the changes proposed by the deputies here .

In May 2019, the Russian Government Commission on Legislative Activities supported the proposed changes, but recommended some amendments to them. with her . agreed The Security Anti-Corruption Committee

We welcome the initiative to ease the total ban on the display of Nazi symbols, however, from our point of view, the "Yampolskaya package" will still not fully take into account the context of such a display.   Sources

• The State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill on the use of Nazi symbols for educational purposes // Agency "Moscow". June 25, 2019
• Draft Law No. 606698-7 "On Amendments to Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation" // CREATION GAS "Lawmaking". 2018. December 12.
• Bill No. 606648-7 "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts in Part of Improving the Legal Regulation of the Use of Nazi Symbols in Works of Science, Literature, and Art" // CREATION GAS "Lawmaking". 2018. December 12.