Draft law targeting online abuse and harmful content advances to Senate

The legislation was adopted on March 17 during a plenary session of the lower house.

New measures target online behavior

The draft law provides for the introduction of penalties for a range of actions carried out via telecommunications networks and the internet. These include the use of offensive language, harassment, and other behavior that disrupts public order and citizens’ peace.

It also establishes liability for distributing materials that promote participation in military operations abroad, as well as for sharing content in mass media or online platforms that depicts an individual’s own unlawful acts.

Revisions made after first reading

The bill was initially approved in its first reading on February 3 and subsequently refined ahead of the second reading.

According to lawmaker Saidullo Azimov, the draft was improved following discussions and feedback while preserving its overall concept.

One key change involved revising the originally proposed Article 61-3, which was found insufficient to address all potential legal scenarios in practice. Instead, the provision was incorporated as a new third part of Article 198-1, clarifying liability for the concealment, loss, or damage of seized property during enforcement proceedings if such actions obstruct execution.

In addition, the law removes the possibility of reconciliation in cases involving such offenses and assigns jurisdiction to the relevant enforcement authorities. Penalties were also reduced – from 100 to 20 times the base calculation amount – in line with constitutional principles of proportionality and feedback from deputies.

Clarifications and structural changes

Further amendments addressed concerns over overlapping legal provisions. A proposed new Article 183-1, which aimed to regulate offensive conduct online, was deemed too similar to existing provisions on minor hooliganism under Article 183.

“As the legal object of these offenses is the same, and they differ mainly in the method of commission, it was considered more appropriate to incorporate the norms into Article 183 as a second part rather than introduce a separate article,” Azimov said.

Another revision clarified the wording of a proposed article by replacing the vague term “committed offense” with “an offense committed by the individual,” ensuring clearer application in practice.

The bill also introduces amendments to account for offenses committed by minors and clarifies which authorities are responsible for handling administrative cases under the new provisions.

The draft law was adopted in both the second and third readings and has now been forwarded to the Senate for final consideration.

If approved, it will introduce new administrative penalties for a range of online and media-related offenses, including the promotion of participation in foreign armed conflicts.