Experts: harder fight on extremism can be used against opposition

Russia is toughening its struggle against extremism. The State Duma has passed amendments to the Criminal Code concerning this sort of crimes in the first reading.

"The amendments may target the opposition," independent deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov said live to the "Echo Moskvy" Radio Station on May 20. According to him, the amendments envisage, in particular, 12 years of imprisonment for mass disorders, 6 years for hooliganism and public justification of extremist actions. He added that the bill has 100 percent chances to succeed, and it can be enacted already this summer.

The "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" (Independent Paper) explains that on May 16 a total of 345 deputies of the Russian State Duma voted in the first reading in favour of the law on toughening the responsibility for criminal offences - in case they are accomplished under extremist motives. The document runs that the punishment should be appointed not for the grave consequences of the crime, but for the character of intentions of the offender, with account of "the motives of ideological, political, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity," the paper writes. The punishment is made also harder when the criminal is overwhelmed with "hatred or enmity in relation to any certain social group."