The Effectiveness of Counteracting Extremism

Abstract

The article discusses the counteraction to one of the negative phenomena in modern Russian political and social landscape — terrorism. In spite of the measures that are currently taken against the cases of extremism, this issue remains urgent. Two interconnected factors reduce the effectiveness of counteracting extremism: 1) flaws in the system of sources of law, namely, insufficient strategic planning, systemic gaps in the anti-extremism legislation, weak links between its elements and the normative legal acts of relevant branches of law; 2) virtual absence of a legal definition for the basic concept of «extremism». The authors examine these factors and give recommendations on improving the effectiveness of counteracting extremism. According to them, it is necessary to develop a national security doctrine for the Russian Federation, whose integral part should be the theoretical basis of counteracting different types of extremism as one of the threats to national security. Next step would be to use this doctrinal base to develop the concept of ensuring national security, which will have an anti-extremism section. Only then should specific strategies be developed, and the legislation should be adjusted in accordance with them. The authors note that it is necessary to formulate the legal definition of the concept of «extremism», which would include its essential features and encompass all major manifestations, and stress that clearly described features of the phenomenon, which are united within one definition, should form the basis that the judges use to identify some actions, organizations or materials are extremist. In this connection, the right solution is not the rejection of the legal category of «extremism», but its more precise definition, provision of terminological clarity and accuracy, its consistent separation from adjacent legal categories, primarily, from the concept of «terrorism». The authors present a working definition of the concept of «extremism».