On the need for changes to the disposition ofArticle 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation «Terrorist act»

Introduction. The article is devoted to the matters of updating the existing antiterrorist legislation. Given the increase in terrorist activity in recent decades, both in the world and in the Russian Federation, the effectiveness of the application of criminal law norms and their updating in accordance with new threats is one of the fundamental factors in countering terrorism. Methods. In the study various scientific methods were used: system analysis, critical analysis, formal-logical method, method of legal modeling. Results. The content of article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was analyzed, conflicts of this legal norm were revealed. The legislator simultaneously applies the concepts of «action» and «act», which leads to problems in the law enforcement practice. The methods of committing a terrorist act were analyzed and it was established that this crime can be committed in the form of both action and lack of action. Amendments to the disposition of Part 1 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation are proposed such as replacing the words «other actions» with «other acts», and also replacing the words «in actions» with the words «in acts» in the note to Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In the course of the study thediscrepancy between the criminal-legal norm of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, where the term «governmental bodies» is used, and the norms of the Federal Law «On the Fight against Terrorism», where the phrase «state bodies, local self-government bodies» is used,was revealed. The analysis of the use of the concept of «governmental bodies» was conducted and it was established that it does not have the legal definition. In order to unify the Russian anti-terrorist legislation and bring it into line with modern realities, it is proposed to specify the content of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, replacing the phrase «governmental bodies» with words «state bodies, local self-government bodies».