Russian Supreme Court has ruled in support of legislative recommendation allowing the deprivation of parental rights to citizens who allow their kids to join destructive sects, terrorist groups or other extremist organizations. “The term ‘abuse of parental rights’ should be understood as the use of these rights in a way that can hurt the children’s interests, for example through hindering their education, involving them in gambling, a homeless lifestyle, begging, theft, prostitution, and substance abuse,”
reads the ruling of the Supreme Court Plenum, as quoted by RIA Novosti. Other examples listed in the ruling include encouraging kids’ participation in any public or religious group that has been officially recognized as extremist and banned by a Russian court. The ruling allows Russian courts to deprive citizens of their parental rights if they are found guilty of such abuse. The most recent update to Russian anti-terrorist laws, introduced in mid-2016, lowered the age threshold for terrorist crimes such as attacks and hostage taking from 16 to 14 years. READ MORE
