Semantic aspects in matters of legal responsibility for various types of propaganda in Russia

Introduction. Currently, legal liability for various types of socially dangerous propaganda has become widespread, both in the norms of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation and the norms of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The rather complicated nature and close semantic meaning of the term "propaganda" with other terms used by legislators in these norms as an alternative to propaganda or its tool makes the purpose of the article relevant – a detailed study of these norms in order to identify gaps and inconsistencies in the terminological arsenal used in standard-setting practice when developing and introducing articles on responsibility for propaganda in the above-mentioned codes.

Methods. The normative basis of this study was some fundamental norms of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the norms of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation and the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provide for legal liability for various types of propaganda, as well as criminal legislation and legislation on administrative offences in some neighboring countries. The methodological basis of this research consists of the dialectical method of cognition, historical-legal, comparative-legal, systemic-structural and some other methods of scientific cognition.

Results. This study examines the semantic aspects of the use of the term "propaganda" by legislators in the norms of Russian legislation on administrative offenses and criminal law, which today provide for responsibility for various types of socially dangerous propaganda in our society. Familiarization with the works of linguists regarding their interpretation of the term "propaganda" revealed some discrepancy in its understanding in linguistics relative to the understanding of this term in jurisprudence. A comparative study was conducted with other terms denoting actions (alternative) that are similarly punishable by propaganda, regarding their semantic similarities and differences, as well as the proportionality of their danger to society, including the position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and the analysis of judicial practice in different regions of Russia.

Conclusions. The results of the closest semantic similarity of propaganda with other terms used by legislators are presented. Some actions provided for by the criminal law and the legislation on administrative offenses are alternatively (equivalently) punishable by propaganda, which, according to the authors, are significantly less dangerous. In some of the analyzed norms, terms were found to be subject, according to the author's conclusions, to exclusion from these norms. A proposal has been put forward on the expediency of introducing universal definitions into the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation and the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to apply to all norms providing for legal responsibility for various types of propaganda in these codes.

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