“Subject to amendments that have entered into force”: Russia has proposed to equate the alienation of territories with extremism

On Wednesday, July 8, the State Duma introduced a bill amending the law on countering extremist activity. The project proposes to clarify that extremism recognizes a violation of the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, including the alienation of part of its territory.

“To amend the paragraph of the second paragraph of Article 1 of the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 N 114-ФЗ“ On counteracting extremist activity ”, replacing the words“ and violation of the integrity of the Russian Federation ”with the words“ and (or) violation of the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation (including alienation of a part of the territory of the Russian Federation) with the exception of delimitation, demarcation, re-marking of the state border of the Russian Federation with neighboring states, ”the text of the bill says.

The project was submitted to the lower house of parliament by the co-chairs of the working group for preparing amendments to the Basic Law, the head of the Duma committee on state building and legislation, Pavel Krasheninnikov, and the chairman of the committee of the Federation Council on constitutional law and state building, Andrei Klishas. 

As recalled in the State Duma, part 21 of art. 67 of the Constitution, it is established that the Russian Federation protects its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Actions aimed at alienating part of the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as calls for such actions are not allowed.

“Taking into account the amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation that have entered into force, the bill proposes to clarify the concept of extremist activity, providing that violation of the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation (including the alienation of part of its territory) is recognized as extremism,” the explanatory note to the bill notes.

These provisions will bring the terminology of the Federal Law in line with the Constitution and will avoid an ambiguous interpretation of the integrity of the Russian Federation, the authors of the bill noted.

“The adoption of the draft provisions, in our opinion, will bring the terminology of the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 No. 114-ФЗ“ On counteracting extremist activities ”in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and will avoid ambiguous or uncertain interpretation of the integrity of the Russian Federation,” the explanatory text says. notes.

The need for such clarification is due to the introduction of amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation approved during the all-Russian vote.

Pavel Krasheninnikov added that he also prepared amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, which were sent to the government and the Supreme Court for feedback. In addition, amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses were prepared.

Thus, the Criminal Code is supposed to be supplemented with a new article 280.2 “Violation of the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation”. As punishment, it is proposed to provide imprisonment for a term of six to 10 years, specified on the website of the State Duma.

• Pavel Krasheninnikov
• © Maxim Blinov / RIA News

In addition, according to the project, penalties for calls against territorial integrity will include fines: for citizens - from 30 to 60 thousand rubles, for officials - from 60 to 100 thousand rubles, for legal entities - from 200 to 300 thousand rubles. For cases when public appeals are made using the media, the Internet or other information and telecommunication or electronic networks, increased amounts of administrative fines are provided.

Repeated appeals (if the offender has already been brought to administrative responsibility for a similar act within one year) will entail criminal liability and will include fines of up to 400 thousand rubles or imprisonment for up to four years.

According to Krasheninnikov, against the backdrop of global threats in the world, it is extremely important to ensure the inviolability of Russia's state borders.

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said that the lower house of parliament may consider the bill as early as July 14.

“The bill will be considered in priority order. Today it will be submitted to the Duma Council with a proposal to consider it in the first reading on July 14, ”he said.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring security, protecting and strengthening the sovereignty of the Russian Federation, Volodin added.

Recall that the all-Russian vote on amendments to the Constitution lasted for a week - from June 25 to July 1. Amendments to the Basic Law were supported by 77.92% of citizens with a total turnout of 67.97%.

Earlier, President Vladimir Putin in an interview with the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin ”on the TV channel“ Russia 1 ”said that amendments to the Constitution on the inviolability of the country's borders and the impossibility of tearing away Russian territories were proposed by members of the working group and by the citizens themselves.

He added that the Russian Constitution also contains “other things related to sovereignty.”