Law of the Week

Week-endng 10 July 2020

On Wednesday 8 July a group of State Duma deputies proposed an expanded extremism bill that is reported to be aimed at further quelling opposition activists and politicians, as well as anyone questioning Moscow’s forcible seizure of the Crimean Peninsula. Chair of the parliamentary committee of state-building and legislation in the State Duma, Pavel Krasheninnikov, was reported as saying the bill would amend the federal law on measures against extremism, according to which a violation of Russia’s territorial integrity is considered an act of extremism, and would ‘bring the law into line with the recently adopted amendments to the constitution.’

Source:

Russian Lawmakers Propose Expanded ‘Extremism’ Law Aimed At Crimea

MOSCOW — A group of Russian lawmakers has proposed an expanded extremism bill aimed at further quelling opposition activists and politicians as well as anyone questioning Moscow’s forcible seizure of the Crimean Peninsula.

One of the authors of the bill, chairman of the parliamentary committee of state-building and legislation in the State Duma, Pavel Krasheninnikov, said on July 8 that the bill would amend the federal law on measures against extremism, according to which a violation of the Russian Federation’s territorial integrity is considered an act of extremism.

Krasheninnikov said that the bill would supplement existing laws by indicating that extremism is a violation of Russia’s territorial integrity, “including the alienation of parts of its territory.”

The additional wording is primarily aimed at targeting any discussion or criticism of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Among other things, the bill outlines fines and criminal liability for “public appeals” using the media, the Internet, or any other information channel.

According to Krasheninnikov, the bill would bring the law into line with constitutional amendments that were adopted in Russia last week amid protests by oppositionists and rights defenders.

RFE/RL, 9 July 2020