Amendments to Art. were adopted in the first reading. 20.3 Code of Administrative Offenses

The State Duma held the first reading of a bill specifying the conditions for bringing to responsibility for displaying Nazi symbols.

On December 11, 2019, the State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill amending the text of Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (public display of Nazi symbols).

The bill was introduced in December 2018 by a group of deputies led by Elena Yampolskaya at the initiative of the All-Russian Popular Front (ONF). The law “On Amendments to Article 6 of the Federal Law “On Perpetuating the Victory of the Soviet People in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” and Article 1 of the Federal Law “On Counteracting Extremist Activity,” included in the same package, has already been signed by the president.

Initially, the bills assumed that the demonstration of prohibited symbols would be allowed in works of science, literature, art, in media products, for educational and educational purposes by educational organizations "under the condition of condemnation" of Nazism or extremist ideology, the formation of a negative attitude towards it and the absence of signs of its propaganda and excuses. Later, however, this list of exceptions disappeared from the amendments to the laws "On Perpetuating the Victory of the Soviet People in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" and "On Counteracting Extremist Activities", and permission to use prohibited symbols in situations "in which a negative attitude is formed to the ideology of Nazism and extremism and there are no signs of propaganda or justification of Nazi and extremist ideology "; while the words " public display " in the laws were replaced by " use ".

Probably, similar changes to the second reading will be made to the draft law on the correction of Art. 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. In general, we welcome the lifting of the total ban on the display of Nazi and other prohibited symbols, although we assume that these amendments will not cover all cases of persecution for the use of prohibited symbols without the purpose of promoting the relevant ideology. See here for more details .

Sources

• The State Duma cancels fines for demonstrating the swastika, subject to the condemnation of Nazism // TASS. December 11, 2019
• The State Duma in the first reading adopted a bill on the exclusion of administrative responsibility when using Nazi symbols without promoting fascism // Website of the faction "United Russia" in the State Duma. December 11, 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". December 11, 2019