VZCZCXRO7642
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #3363/01 1910639
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100639Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1941
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLN/AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 4295
RUEHYG/AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG 2547
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 2244

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 003363 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR RS
SUBJECT: NEW EXTREMISM LAW: MORE OF THE SAME CONSTRAINTS 
 
 
MOSCOW 00003363  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
 ¶1. (SBU)  Summary:  On July 6, in response to President 
Putin's December 2006 "Presidential Instruction" to combat 
extremism, the Duma resuscitated and passed a heavily 
re-drafted extremism law, over the opposition of minority 
political parties and concerns of some in the majority.  The 
amendments, expected to be approved by the Federation Council 
on July 11: 
 
-- expand the definition of extremist activity to include 
political or ideological hatred or hatred connected to a 
social group; 
 
-- require media to identify groups that have been banned or 
liquidated by the GOR, as such, whenever there is a reference 
to them; 
 
-- allow printers or publishers who distribute extremist 
material to be fined; and, 
 
-- allow law enforcement bodies to wiretap those suspected of 
extremist activity. 
 
Just Russia and the Communist Party (KPRF) fear that the 
amendments will chill political speech during the upcoming 
December Duma election campaign and are wary about the 
wiretapping provisions.  Human rights groups condemn 
amendments, but note that they will not meaningfully change 
the status quo.  Although the law will undoubtedly go on to 
be approved by the Federation Council on July 11, its 
practical effect may be minimal on "extremist" activities. 
In enacting this legislation, the GOR will signal again its 
intent to investigate aggressively "extremists," who - in 
practice - are disproportionately members of the political 
opposition or liberal press.  End summary. 
 
-------------- 
The Amendments 
-------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  This is the second set of amendments that the Duma 
has passed in response to President Putin's December 2006 
Instruction to combat extremism.  The first set, approved in 
April 2007, substantially increased prison sentences for 
violations.   This second set passed its first reading on May 
16; among other things, it would have increased prison 
sentences for extremist behavior and widened the definition 
of extremism.  While supporting Duma deputies stated that the 
amendments clarified the definition of "extremism", many 
observers feared that it was specifically aimed at supporters 
and organizers of the "Marches of Dissent." 
 
¶3.  (U)  Negotiations leading up to the second, and most 
critical, reading, however, ran into opposition from minority 
political parties.  Not all GOR institutions were supportive 
either.  In noting the broadness of the definition of 
"extremism," FSB representative Sergey Kundelchuk 
rhetorically wondered how the international community might 
react.  Even the Federation Council committee charged with 
overseeing legislative efforts against extremist activity 
expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the proposed 
legislation, suggesting that a combination of a "new 
ideology" for Russia and citizen education would be more 
useful than essentially replicating laws that already exist. 
On June 29, consideration of the amendments for the second 
reading was deferred until, according to a member of the 
drafting committee, a "much later" date. 
 
¶4. (U) Then, on July 4, the legislation was abruptly 
introduced for its second reading and was approved (321 for, 
45 against).  The amendments passed quickly through the third 
reading on July 6 (311 for, 90 against), in a vote that 
reflected an uncommon level of dissent in the current Duma. 
The amendments expand the definition of extremist activity to 
include political or ideological hatred or hatred connected 
to a social group; require media to identify groups that have 
been banned or liquidated by the GOR, as such, at every 
reference; allow printers or publishers who distribute 
extremist material to be fined; and, allow law enforcement 
bodies to eavesdrop on those suspected of extremist activity. 
 
-------------------------- 
Opposition Parties Unhappy 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU)  The KPRF has consistently opposed the legislation, 
concerned that it will be used to attack political speech. 
KPRF Duma Deputy Viktor Ilyukhin called the legislation an 
attempt to gag all speech and predicted unfettered 
 
MOSCOW 00003363  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
wiretapping.  Just Russia Duma Deputy Gennadiy Gudkov, 
arguing that the law could be absurdly extended to jail those 
who criticize bureaucrats, also concluded that the amendments 
would remove all limits on wiretapping. 
 
------------------------------- 
Human Rights Groups Unimpressed 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Moscow Helsinki Group Chairwoman Lyudmila 
Alekseyeva told us July 5 that while there was nothing 
positive about the amendments, she believed them superfluous, 
given existing legislation, and criticized the vagueness of 
the definition of "extremism."  SOVA's Aleksandr Verkhovskiy 
cautioned us that he had not read the final legislation, but 
did not see it providing the GOR with any extra leverage 
against NGOs, pointing out that the GOR already has enough. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Since the amendments fulfill a Presidential 
Instruction, they will undoubtedly be passed by the 
Federation Council on July 11 and signed into law.  The 
amendments are less significant for their substance, than for 
the message the GOR has reinforced of its intent to 
investigate aggressively "extremists," who to date have been 
disproportionately the liberal opposition and journalists 
critical of the GOR. 
BURNS