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Federation Council approves law imposing prison terms for extremist calls

The maximum punishment will be six years in prison

MOSCOW, June 25, /ITAR-TASS/. The Federation Council, upper house of the Russian parliament, on Wednesday, June 25, approved a law that imposes prison terms for sponsoring extremism and for inciting extremist activities on the Internet.

The law introduces a new article to the Penal Code which envisages penalties for “providing or collecting funds or for rendering financial services knowingly intended for sponsoring attempts to oganise, prepare and perpetrate at least one of the extremist crimes or for supporting the activities of an extremist community or an extremist organisation”.

This offence will be penalised with a fine ranging from 300,000 roubles to 500,000 roubles (approximately 9,000-15,000 U.S. dollars) or a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities for up to three years or by compulsory work for up to 200 hours or correctional work for a period from one year to two years or by imprisonment for up to three years.

If an offence is committed using one’s official position, the maximum punishment will be six years in prison.

The guilty person will be relieved from criminal responsibility if he helps to prevent or stop the crime he sponsored or helps to stop the activities of an extremist community or an extremist organisation.

The law also provides criminal penalties in the form of compulsory work or imprisonment for up to five years for public calls for extremist activities made not only in mass media (as now) but also on the Internet.

The law allows the seizure of the property obtained by committing extremist crimes.