Criteria of Extremist Speech Acts: Forensic Linguistic Diagnostic Complexes

Никишин Владимир Дмитриевич

doi:10.15405/ejsbs.296

Abstract

The article examines the challenges in detecting features of verbal extremism by analysing forensic practice, research papers on forensic linguistics and anti-extremist law, manuals developed by Russian law enforcement agencies and scientific and educational organizations. The article suggests a new approach to the methodological support of forensic linguistic examination of extremist discourse. This approach is based on the concept of a three-component structure of ‘extremist’ utterances. The author justifies the proposed classification of extremist speech acts and describes forensic diagnostic complexes corresponding to these speech acts. These complexes can serve as the reference samples for both linguistic experts (who conduct forensic examination) and the law enforcement officers (who conduct forensic diagnostics). The use of standardized forensic diagnostic complexes of extremist speech acts which serve as a tool for classification of illegal verbal behaviour allows to maintain the balance between the right to freedom of speech and pluralism of opinions, on the one hand, and protection against abuse of these rights (protection of media security), on the other hand.

Highlights

The propaganda of extremist-terrorist ideology has reached unimaginable global proportions in the digital age
Legal proceedings should be based on objective evidence, which means that the forensic linguistic examination should be based on clear criteria and methods which allow assessing the scientific validity of the expert's report
The methodology related to the forensic linguistic examination of materials containing extremist discourse is based on the theory of speech acts at the current stage of development of forensic linguistics

Summary

Introduction

The propaganda of extremist-terrorist ideology has reached unimaginable global proportions in the digital age. Such destructive propaganda threatens freedom, life and health of people, democratic society and constitutional order (the basis for every state governed by the rule of law). It is often impossible to legally describe information materials as being extremist without applying special (forensic) knowledge in the field of linguistics to this description. Expert reports are often limited to the expression of linguists’ subjective views based on their personal ethical judgments instead of conducting a scientifically based research. Legal proceedings should be based on objective evidence, which means that the forensic linguistic examination should be based on clear criteria and methods which allow assessing the scientific validity of the expert's report. Verbal extremism can be defined as an action committed verbally and aimed at inciting hatred and enmity towards a person(s) in connection with their ethnic / religious / other social identity or at humiliation of human dignity and / or insult to religious feelings of persons in connection with their religious identity, as well as calls for extremist and / or terrorist activities (Art. art. 148, 205.2, 280, 282 of the Criminal Code of the RF, Art. 20.3.1 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation (RF))

Discussion

Types of extremist speech acts

Insulting the feelings of believers

Conclusion and Implications