State Duma permits use of Nazi symbols in art, science not for propaganda purpose
MOSCOW. Nov 19 (Interfax) - The State Duma passed a bill on the exemptions from the ban on the use of Nazi symbols in science, art and literature if there is no aim to promote or justify Nazism in it in the final, third reading on Tuesday.
The bill was sponsored by a group of parliamentarians, including State Duma Culture Committee Chairperson Yelena Yampolskaya and State Duma Security and Anti-Corruption Committee head Vasily Piskaryov.
In February 2019, the State Duma Culture Committee endorsed lifting the restrictions on the use of Nazi symbols in films and books in absence of the signs of propaganda and recommended the lower chamber to pass a relevant bill in the first reading.
The first reading of the bill took place at the State Duma in late June.
The amendment stipulating that "the displays of symbols and attributes in the works of art, literature and science, as well as for information and educational purposes," is possible on condition of "forming a negative attitude towards the ideology of Nazism" and "the absence of the signs of propaganda and justification of Nazism" was added to the bill in the second reading.
Culture Committee Chairperson Yelena Yampolskaya told journalists that the introduced amendments will enable removing "a public irritant," especially ahead of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War.
"People would want to post images [on social media], people would want to post posters, people would want to post old photographs, people would want to pay respects to the memory of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, who fought for our motherland, more actively. And it's a good thing that those positive intentions will by no means be subjected to some punishments. There was this instance of absurd that really irritated the society and we're now getting rid of it," Yampolskaya said.
The amendments must be introduced to the Administrative Offense Code and the punishments for the use of Nazi symbols while not intending to promote them must be repealed in the near future, she said. The bill has been submitted and prepared for consideration by the State Duma State Building and Legislation Committee.