Russian lawmakers adopt bill on mechanism to suspend bans on terror groups

ISTANBUL

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday voted to adopt a bill on introducing a mechanism to suspend bans on the activities of terror groups.

Russian media outlets, including state news agency Tass, reported that the bill was adopted by the State Duma, the country’s lower house of parliament, in the second and third readings during a plenary session in the capital Moscow.

The bill was submitted to the State Duma on Nov. 26, with a corresponding explanatory note for the bill stating that temporarily lifting the ban on the activity of such groups may be allowed in the case of a court decision initiated by the country’s prosecutor general or his deputy.

It further said the lifting of such bans will be possible if there is data that a particular organization has ceased carrying out "activities aimed at promoting, justifying, and supporting terrorism."

While the bill does not mention any specific group, Leonid Slutsky, the leader of Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters following the bill's submission that the mechanism aims to ensure legal interaction between Russia and the Taliban.

Russia included the Taliban in its list of banned terrorist organizations back in 2003.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in the capital Kabul on Aug. 25, 2021, over three years ago.