Antiterrorist "Yarovaya's Package" adopted against protest of third of MPs

Today, the Russian State Duma has approved, in the second and third readings, the package of antiterrorist bills. A number of provisions thereof have touched on non-traditional religious groups, including Salafists.

Today the proposed amendments to the legislation were supported by 287 MPs, 147 MPs voted against, one abstained. The factions of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) and the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) voted against.

The amendments, adopted today, essentially toughen a number of laws. In particular, an article on non-information is added to the Criminal Code: a failure to report a crime assumes up to one year in prison. This norm applies to crimes such as terrorism, seizure of power and attempt on the life of a statesman.

Also, the Criminal Code is added by a new article on international terrorism, which provides for the punishment up to life imprisonment.

One of the bills gives a new comprehensive definition of financing terrorism.

Besides, for terrorism cases, the age of criminal responsibility was lowered: now, teens of 14 may be attracted, the TASS reports.

A separate block of amendments to a number of laws defines the notion of "missionary activities" and forbids executing it on behalf of religious organizations, whose objectives are contrary to the law.

The amendments, adopted by the MPs, ban any missionary activities outside cult buildings, and, according to Alexander Verkhovsky, Director of the "Sova" Human Rights Centre (HRC), an expert on religion, nationalism and xenophobia, now the state has acquired a mechanism of pressure on new and non-traditional religious trends.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.