Extremism (from French exremisme, from Latin) is “an extremely dangerous phenomenon in the life of any society. It creates a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order, the territorial integrity of the Republic of Belarus, the creation of illegal armed groups, the implementation of terrorist activities, incitement to racial, national or religious hatred or discord, and leads to a violation of the constitutional rights and freedoms of man and citizen.”
The main goal of an extremist organization is to destabilize the social and ethnopolitical situation and create maximum conflict situations.
In the vast majority of cases, the age of members of youth extremist groups ranges from 14 to 20 years.
Legal framework for countering extremism
Article 19.11 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses:
Distribution of information products containing calls for extremist activities or promoting such activities, as well as production, storage or transportation for the purpose of distributing such information products – a fine of up to 20 b.v. with confiscation of the subject of the administrative offense.
Article 361 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus:
Public calls for the seizure of state power or forcible change of the constitutional order – restriction of freedom for a term of up to five years or imprisonment for a term of up to six years.
Article 3614 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus:
Recruitment, other involvement of a person in extremist activities, training, as well as other assistance in extremist activities – restriction of freedom for a term of up to four years or imprisonment for a term of two to six years.
Article 3615 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus:
If a person undergoes training or other training, knowingly for the student the purpose of his subsequent participation in extremist activities is restriction of freedom for a term of up to three years or imprisonment for a term of up to three years.
