The draft federal law On Amendments to Clause 15 of the Federal Law On Countering Extremist Activities was drafted by the Russian Ministry of Justice.

The draft law prohibits the formation of a public or religious association by an individual who used to be the head or a member of an executive body of a public or religious association that was the subject of a legally binding decision on dissolution or a ban on engaging in extremist activities.

Pursuant to Clause 9 of the federal law On Countering Extremist Activities, an extremist association may be dissolved or an association which is not a legal entity can be banned from operating on the basis of an application of the Procurator General of the Russian Federation, a subordinate prosecutor, or a federal registration agency or its regional office.

However, in the event that there are insufficient legal grounds for criminally prosecuting the leader of a dissolved (banned) public or religious association, their participation in setting up new associations for the purpose of continuing extremist activities may not be restricted.

The amendments to the federal law On Countering Extremist Activities proposed by the draft law will make it possible to prevent an individual, who previously headed a public or religious organisation that was dissolved or banned by a court ruling, from setting up public or religious associations.

 The draft law was reviewed and approved at the meeting of the Russian Government on June 27, 2013.