Criminal liability for false messages regarding terrorist attack and extremism

The amendments that toughen punishment for deliberately false messages regarding terrorist attack, incitement and implementation of extremist actions and incitement of ethnic hatred proposed by the PMR President were supported by deputies in the first reading.

The explanatory note to the law-in-draft notes: the workload of law enforcement agencies has increased significantly because of anonymous calls and messages of mining, people have to be evacuated. Such messages are dangerous in that panic begins among the population, the normal activities of organizations are disrupted, law enforcement forces are diverted to check false messages, the costs of conducting inspections increase, and organizations lose possible income due to the suspension of work.

The Investigative Committee representative said that the adoption of this law-in-draft will help prevent the surge of extremism.

The law-in-draft amends several articles of the Criminal Code of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. Thus, it is proposed in Article 205 to provide for such new qualifying signs as a deliberately false messages of an act of terrorism against social infrastructure facilities, as well as in order to destabilize the activities of the of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic state authorities. Part four of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic establishes liability for a knowingly false messages regarding impending explosion, arson or other actions that create a danger of death of people, which negligently caused the death of a person or other grave consequences. Sanctions for such actions are from 8 to 10 years in prison. Changes to articles 276, 278, 278-1 and 278-2 of the PMR Criminal Code provide for tougher criminal liability for extremism. In particular, the terms of imprisonment for public calls to carry out extremist activities are being increased; for public or with the use of the media incitement of national, racial, religious hatred; for organizing and participating in an extremist community, including using one's official position, as well as for organizing and participating in the activities of a public or religious association or other organization whose activities have been banned by a court in connection with the implementation of extremist activities.

It is noted that all these crimes are crimes against the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the state, and the punishment for their commission should be commensurate with their public danger. The Parliamentary Committee on Legislation, Protection of the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens will continue to work on the law-in-draft in the second reading mode.