The State Duma approved criminal liability for activities in undesirable foreign organizations
The Russian parliament adopted in the first reading a bill introducing into the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation separate liability for participation in foreign or international non-governmental organizations recognized as undesirable in Russia.
The corresponding decision was made during a plenary meeting of the State Duma, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The document was prepared by the State Duma commission to investigate the facts of international interference of foreign states in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation. State Duma deputy from United Russia Nikolai Ryzhak spoke about its essence.
“We are consistently improving legislation in this critical area of national security. And this bill is aimed at creating additional measures to counter the penetration of undesirable organizations into Russian territory and block their attempts to destructively influence the social and political institutions of Russian society...
The Commission has established numerous facts of Russian citizens outside Russia undergoing training on influencing election campaigns, organizing mass riots, unauthorized political actions, including those involving minors, carrying out anti-Russian information campaigns and creating tolerance in Russian society for the use of narcotic drugs through propaganda their consumption and drug legalization. The said training is carried out with the support of non-governmental organizations,” he said.
However, according to him, such training for citizens of the Russian Federation is not a violation of Russian legislation, and the work of foreign organizations is considered undesirable only on Russian territory. It is these omissions that the document under discussion is intended to eliminate.
According to the bill, participation in the work of such NGOs will entail a fine in the amount of 300 to 500 thousand rubles or in the amount of the income of the convicted person for a period of two to three years, or imprisonment for a term of one to four years with possible deprivation of the right to engage in certain work for a period of up to 10 years.
In addition, the bill provides for sanctions such as compulsory work for up to 360 hours or forced labor for up to four years.
“In addition, it is proposed to introduce an additional qualifying feature - recognition of a foreign or international organization as undesirable on the territory of Russia if it provides intermediary services when conducting transactions with funds and other property belonging to a foreign or international organization whose activities are recognized as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation,” – added Ryzhak.
After which, during the voting, the document was supported by 311 deputies out of 315 present, the bill was adopted in the first reading and sent for further revision.
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