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Russian senators approve election ban on those linked to extremism

At the Federation Council's meeting, a total of 146 senators supported the law, one person voted against the document, with one abstaining from voting

MOSCOW, June 2. / TASS /. Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, approved on Wednesday a law that introduces a temporary ban on leaders and members of organizations recognized as extremist or terrorist in Russia and individuals related to such organizations to be elected.

At the Federation Council's meeting, a total of 146 senators supported the law, one person voted against the document, with one abstaining from voting.

Under the bill, leaders and founders of extremist or terrorist organizations will be banned from running for elective posts for a period of five years after a court ruling on the ban or termination of their organizations. Staff of such organizations and people recognized by a court as related to their activities will face a three-year ban.

The document stipulates criteria for determining a person’s involvement in the activities of organizations deemed as extremist or terrorist. The bill describes involvement as direct implementation of the goals and formats of activities that were used as grounds to recognize the organization as extremist or terrorist. People who express support to such organizations' goals and formats, as well as their particular actions, will also be deemed as related to such organizations. Support may be expressed both orally and online. While a decision on a person’s involvement in the activities of such organizations is taken by a court, no court ruling is needed in respect of founders and leaders of such organizations and their deputies.

The three-year ban from being elected may be applicable to those who expressed support to an organization one year before a court ruling on the recognition of it as extremist. Leaders of such organizations will face a five-year ban if they occupied leading positions in such organizations three years before a corresponding court ruling.

The new law does not cover past elections.