Translated material
The State Duma before the holidays tightened the legislation on extremism, adopting amendments in two decisive readings at once
We are talking about amendments to the laws “On Combating Extremist Activities”, “On the Media”, in the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code. In particular, they will allow the authorities to recognize any community as an extremist organization if one of its organizers or participants was convicted by an extremist article (282.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
Amendments equalize extremist organizations and communities.
Until now, groups with their structure have been considered extremist organizations, and by communities, informal organizations without a clear hierarchy.
According to new amendments to the laws “On Media” and “On Countering Extremism”, not only the legal entity, but also extremist communities, whose participants were convicted under the relevant articles, will now be included in the list of extremist organizations, and the media will be required to put marking about this upon mention of them.
The bill was submitted to the State Duma in February. The amendments are presented as measures to combat socially dangerous phenomena-in practice they expand the possibilities of criminal prosecution for dissent, can increase the number of politically motivated cases, warns lawyers interviewed by the Human Rights Project of the ATS-Info*.