The federal law On introducing amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, was drafted by the Ministry of Justice in accordance with the Presidential instruction of November 12, 2012 and the Government instruction of December 1, 2012.
The bill was prepared to neutralise threats to national security arising from the destructive actions of religious organisations in Russia by tightening criminal responsibility for the crimes set out in Articles 280, 282, 2821 and 2822 of the Criminal Code.
The bill proposes increasing penalties under nearly all of the aforementioned Criminal Code articles, taking into account the gravity of a committed act.
Longer sentences are stipulated for public incitement of extremism, for inciting hatred or enmity publicly or through the mass media, and for debasing human dignity on the grounds of gender, race, ethnicity, language, religion or social class; for creating and participating in an extremist group, including using one’s official position, as well as for creating and participating in a public or religious association or any other organisation which a court has ordered to be disbanded or to stop operations because it has been declared extremist.
Furthermore, the bill extends terms of compulsory labour handed down by a court for inciting hatred or enmity publicly or through the mass media, for debasing human dignity on the grounds of gender, race, ethnicity, language, religion or social class, as well as for participating in extremist groups and organisations and for setting up an extremist organisation.
The bill will be considered at a Government meeting.