The changes have been introduced through amendments to several legislative acts.
Under the amendments to the Criminal Code, participation in extremist, separatist, fundamentalist or other prohibited organizations is punishable by five to 10 years in prison.
Amendments to the Code of Administrative Responsibility introduce fines and administrative detention for the production, possession with intent to distribute, or distribution of materials promoting extremism, separatism or fanaticism.
The provisions also cover materials calling for massacres or the forced displacement of citizens, as well as those intended to spread panic among the population. The production, possession or display of attributes and symbols associated with extremist and terrorist organizations is also subject to penalties.
Violators face confiscation of the relevant materials or items and fines ranging from 50 to 100 basic calculation units (BCUs) for individuals and 100 to 150 BCUs for officials. Alternatively, they may face administrative detention for up to 15 days.
The amendments also replace the term “religious extremism” with “extremism” throughout the relevant legislation.
New electronic register
The Justice Ministry's electronic register will be published on its official website and open to the public. It will include:
Organizations whose activities have been suspended over involvement in extremist activities;
Organizations officially designated as extremist;
Materials recognized as extremist;
Electronic sources that have systematically hosted or distributed extremist materials through telecommunications networks or the internet – defined as two or more instances within a single year.
Procedure for designating extremist materials
Applications to have materials or online sources officially recognized as extremist will be submitted to the Prosecutor General's Office by government agencies responsible for countering extremism.
