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Human rights council chief highlights need to concentrate on real extremism

Punishing for political anecdotes as for extremism, is inadmissible, Mikhail Fedotov, said

MOSCOW, June 7. /TASS/. It is necessary to fight real extremism instead of labelling political anecdotes as extremism and punishing for them, head of the Russian Presidential Council for Human Rights and Civil Society, Mikhail Fedotov, said on Thursday.

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"It is important to fight real extremism. Extremism is what can lead to violence, bloodshed, while punishing for political anecdotes as for extremism, is inadmissible," Fedotov told Tass in connection with an appeal by President Vladimir Putin to analyze the notion of extremism and legal practices. "The Council has suggestions to this matter," Fedotov added.

In his annual Q&A session on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged to analyze the legal practice in criminal cases on extremism, stressing that it shouldn't be overdone, but propaganda of suicide and fascist ideology should be prevented.

"Of course, this judicial practice should be in the public eye and should be adjusted along the way. If we are talking about the spread of extremist information, then, of course, as in other areas of society, general rules should be applied. But we have to agree on those notions, what they are, and it is not necessary to go overboard with it, to the level of insanity," Putin said.

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