MOSCOW, July 6 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian parliament's lower house, the State Duma, passed Friday in the third and final reading a bill tightening existing legislation in the fight against extremism.
Among other things, the new version of the law prohibits the media from publishing and distributing materials on extremist organizations without specifying that they had been banned or closed down by a court ruling.
The bill contains a clause prohibiting law enforcement officials from instigating people suspected of extremism into committing unlawful acts. However, law enforcement will be permitted to tap the phones of people suspected of all types of crimes.
Tougher punishment is also stipulated by the bill for crimes committed out of motives of revenge or as part of a vendetta.
According to the draft law, slander of state officials, including accusations of grave crimes, violence against officials, and hampering the work of authorities would be considered evidence of extremism.
The bill has yet to be approved by the Russian parliament's upper house, the Federation Council, and signed by the president.
