Putin, Will He Be the New Stalin?

From INQ7News

Russian President Vladimir Putin approved late Friday a new law against "extremism" that critics say could allow the country's authorities to crack down more on dissent.

"The president signed a federal law with amendments to the federal law 'On Countering Extremist Activity' that was approved earlier," the Kremlin said in a statment published on its website.

The law "is aimed at improving the definition of extremist activity by classifying socially dangerous actions as extremist", the statement said.

....opponents say it moves towards making criticism of the authorities by the media, opposition parties and rights groups a crime.

Among activities defined as "extremist" crimes the new law includes "humiliating national merit," "public slander of state officials" and "hampering the lawful activity of state organs."