The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation

Mr. Yuriy Khokhlov, Director of the Department of Supervision over Compliance with Laws on Federal Security, Inter-Ethnic Relations, Combating Extremism and Terrorism of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation took part in the 8th Plenary Meeting of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group and meetings of its five subgroups in the Republic of South Africa.

During the meeting, current international challenges and threats in the fights against terrorism, issues of deradicalization, law enforcement capacity-building, countering the financing of terrorist activities were discussed.

Mr. Yuriy Khokhlov spoke at the meetings of the Russian and Indian subgroups on preventing the misuse of the Internet for terrorist purposes and countering threats posed by foreign terrorist fighters. He acquainted the participants of the meeting with the system created in the Russian Federation to counter the ideology of terrorism, as well as the organization of the activities of prosecutors to block sites that post extremist information or contain calls for terrorist activities, propaganda and justification of terrorism.

Mr. Khokhlov highlighted issues of criminal liability for using the Internet for terrorist and extremist purposes, including for financing criminal activities. Attention was paid to the work of the prosecution authorities on improvement of the legislative framework in the sphere of combatting terrorism.

A presentation was also made on the implementation in the Russian Federation of international obligations to bring foreign terrorist fighters to justice.

Mr. Yuriy Khokhlov stressed the need for further constructive international cooperation and exchange of experience in this area.