President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed a law to toughen criminal liability for violation of the rules for holding mass actions and extremist activities. The document was published on the National Legal Internet Portal of the Republic.
The initiative supplemented the Criminal Code (CC) with two new articles: 361.4 (“Promoting extremist activities”) and 361.5 (“Undergoing training or other training to participate in extremist activities”). For the first, the maximum punishment will be up to six years in prison, for the second – up to three years.
Also, prison terms were increased under Article 369.3 (“Violation of the order of organizing or holding mass events”). Now those guilty for it will be assigned up to five years in prison, and even those who publicly call to take to the streets may be held liable.
Earlier, Lukashenka signed a law that equates journalists covering unauthorized protest actions with their participants. They will face criminal liability if the event is broadcast or information about its holding is published.
