The Ministry of the Interior wants to make the monitoring and dissemination of terrorist propaganda punishable. Currently, there are not enough laws to stop terrorism before it becomes dangerous. For example, propaganda has been used to recruit new members into groups like Feuerkrieg Division.
Legal experts are concerned that the new law could lead to thought control. Paloma Krõõt Tupay said that people need to know what is punishable. She asked how long and what someone is allowed to monitor. Tupay noted that researchers and journalists should be able to investigate Islamic terrorism without punishment.
Tupay said that thought control is dangerous. She emphasized that until now, people have been punished for their behavior, not their thoughts. Tupay asked what kind of society we want. She said that control over mindset should be minimal if it does not make someone a threat.
Tupay noted that algorithms on the internet show a lot of material to young people. She asked if this should be punished. Tupay believes that Estonia does not need to hire many officials to monitor young people. She said that it is already possible to monitor threat groups.
Member of Parliament Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart said that the new law could lead to punishment for thoughts. She noted that the law requires a total surveillance system that monitors what people view on their computers or phones. Kovalenko-Kõlvart emphasized that Estonia currently does not have a terrorism problem.
Lawyer Carri Ginter said that viewing material does not mean endorsing it. He asked if monitoring terrorist propaganda is a real problem in Estonia. Ginter believes that existing laws allow dealing with problems without new bans.
The Ministry of the Interior is currently collecting feedback on the new law. If the plans succeed, the amendment to the penal code could come into effect next year.