The Prosecutor General’s Office has proposed to strengthen the responsibility for “Russophobia” in Western countries and consider it a manifestation of extremism. This was announced by the head of the department responsible for supervising the implementation of federal security laws of the department Yuri Khokhlov, transmits RIA News.
“I would consider Russophobia a manifestation of extremism,” Khokhlov said during a meeting at the Presidential Human Rights Council (HRC).
He noted that the authorities need to define the concept of “Russophobia”, but at the same time there is no need to provide for a separate composition in the criminal code.
At the same time, as Khokhlov said, the Russian authorities can still hold “Russophobia” responsible within the legal norms that already exist, so “we are talking about increasing responsibility”. What kind of standards it is, the representative of the Prosecutor General’s Office did not specify.
The head of the Human Rights Council Valery Fadeev, in turn, said at the meeting that it is now impossible to punish people in other countries for the manifestation of “Russophobia”, but such an opportunity should be provided in the future. He also noted that this phenomenon should be given precise legal formulation.
“We understand intuitively (what Russophobia is), but how to register in the law, how to qualify an act of criminal? And that is our task, it is not an easy task, theft or robbery is easy to qualify. <...> Our main task today is to try to legally formulate what Russophobia is and what articles can be used for this qualification, and if there is no such article, then another must be added, ” did he declare.
Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, noted a fourfold increase in citizen appeals due to “Russophobia” compared to 2022, informed Interfax.
