Ban on running for Russian president planned to be extended to those involved in extremist activities - amendment to bill

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - The State Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation on Wednesday approved a draft amendment to ban the heads of extremist organizations, their members and others involved in them from being elected president of the Russian Federation.

The amendment is to be added to the law on the election of the president of the Russian Federation.

According to the amendment, a citizen involved in the activities of a civic or religious association, or any other organization, in respect of which a court ruling to shut it down or ban its extremist or terrorist activity came into force, would not have the right to be elected president of Russia.

The ban will affect those who were as a founder, member of a collegiate governing body, head, deputy head, including those of a regional or another branch of an extremist or terrorist organization, starting three years before the effective date of the court ruling to shut down such organization or ban its activities.

The ban applies to participants, members, employees of an extremist or terrorist organization and other persons who according to a court ruling, have directly implemented the goals and forms of activity (including individual events), and (or) expressed support by statements, including statements on the Internet, or other actions.

Other actions may be the provision of funds, property, organizational, methodological, advisory or other assistance, the amendment noted.

With regard to a participant, member, employee of an extremist or terrorist organization and other persons involved in the activities of an extremist or terrorist organization, the term is one year until the court ruling takes legal effect.

The bill also stated that a person who was a founder, a member of a collegiate governing body, or a head of such organization cannot be elected president until five years passed from the day the court ruling on shutting down an extremist or terrorist organization or banning its activities came into legal force.

As for participants, members, employees or other persons involved in the activities of extremist and terrorist organizations, they cannot be elected president until three years from the day the court ruling enters into legal force.

Also on Wednesday, the State Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation approved a draft amendment to ban citizens convicted of crimes against the sexual inviolability of minors (Articles 133 and 134 of the Russian Criminal Code) from being elected president of the Russian Federation.

The ban is valid until the expiration of five years from the date of expunging or clearing of a criminal record.

The relevant amendments were included in the table for the second reading of the bill, which proposes establishing unified principles and parameters of remote electronic voting for all referenda and elections in Russia.

Similar bans are proposed to be introduced for all elections in Russia by amendments to the same bill.