The lawyer assessed the possible consequences of the anti-bullying bill

Ekaterina Alexandrovich, a lawyer and human rights defender, a member of the Adyghe Republican Bar Association, assessed the draft law on the introduction of fines for bullying and cyberbullying in an interview with Izvestia on December 2. According to her, despite the stated goal to strengthen the protection of victims, the document contains a number of significant risks.

"Formulations like "indecent form" leave room for arbitrary interpretation, and large fines may be disproportionate, especially for individuals. They are also afraid of restrictions on freedom of speech: possible abuses in relation to criticism, satire or investigative journalism. The administrative burden will be increased: an increase in the number of complaints will require additional resources for investigations. Finally, there remains the risk of false statements and manipulation of the process to put pressure on opponents," the lawyer explained.

Go out and harm normally: in Russia they want to introduce grades for behavior

Subsequently, they must be included in the graduation certificate.

Alexandrovich noted that a significant part of the project is devoted to protecting the privacy of victims. Anonymous appeals, enhanced measures to protect personal data, restriction of access to case materials and the possibility of closed court sessions are envisaged. The document also describes the technical requirements for storing and deleting information, including mandatory encryption.

Speaking about the response measures, she stressed that the bill provides for immediate action in the event of a threat or harm, from temporarily blocking accounts to deleting offensive materials. In addition, the draft introduces administrative fines, the possibility of civil claims for compensation for moral damage, and disciplinary measures in educational institutions and workplaces. Victims are promised psychological and legal support, participation in rehabilitation programs, and increased media literacy.

According to the lawyer, the document requires a clearer legal formalization. She considers it important to establish precise legal definitions, prescribe a gradation of sanctions depending on the severity and repeatability of violations, as well as provide for mandatory judicial control when imposing large fines. She also stressed the need for a mechanism to protect citizens from deliberately false complaints.

Alexandrovich stressed that the future law should ensure a balance between the rights of victims and the protection of freedom of speech in order to eliminate the possibility of abuse and ensure the legal stability of the proposed measures.

LDPR deputies, led by party leader Leonid Slutsky, have prepared a bill that will be submitted to the State Duma on December 2, providing for administrative fines of up to 500,000 rubles for harassment and cyberbullying. It provides for the introduction of an article in the Code of Administrative Offenses (Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation) that will punish regular insults and humiliations of citizens, including cases on the Internet and the media. Bullying refers to repeated acts committed in an obscene or immoral manner.

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