Call to criminalise controversial Russian ‘Z’ symbol

There are calls to criminalise the use of the ‘Z’ symbol to show support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with one country already making the change.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has called for the use of the Russian ‘Z’ symbol to be banned, with anyone caught using it as a way to support Russia hit with criminal charges.

Dmytro Kuleba took to Twitter on Tuesday to call for use of the controversial symbol to be criminalised.

“I call on all states to criminalise the use of the ‘Z’ symbol as a way to publicly support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” he wrote.

“‘Z’ means Russian war crimes, bombed out cities, thousands of murdered Ukrainians. Public support of this barbarism must be forbidden.”

I call on all states to criminalize the use of the ‘Z’ symbol as a way to publicly support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. ’Z’ means Russian war crimes, bombed out cities, thousands of murdered Ukrainians. Public support of this barbarism must be forbidden.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 29, 2022

The letter has become a symbol of war for Russia and has been seen displayed on tanks and trucks moving through Ukraine since the invasion began more than a month ago.

There are multiple theories around the true meaning of the symbol, with the Russian defence ministry claiming Z means “Za pobedu” or “for victory”.

However, other theories claim the letter is used to distinguish Russian military vehicles from Ukraine’s, while others believe it is used to distinguish where the vehicles are heading.

What is clear though is that the symbol has quickly become a way for Russian supporters to cheer on the continuing invasion of Ukraine.

A woman poses for pictures from behind a car door with its window decorated with the ‘Z’ symbol letter "Z" Simferopol. Picture: Stringer/AFP

A protester paints the ‘Z’ sign on a street during a pro-Russia rally. Picture: Andrej Isakovic/AFP

Ukrainian journalist and chief editor of the Kyiv Independent, Olga Rudenko, said earlier this month that it is clearly a general symbol of the war.

“Russians have chosen the letter Z as the symbol for their invasion of Ukraine,” Rudenko said.

“It is marking the Russian military vehicles and is widely used by the supporters of the war in Russia.”

Germany has become one of the first countries to show support for Ukraine by banning public displays of the ‘Z’ symbol as a show of support for Russia.

On Saturday, the two German states of Lower Saxony and Bavaria outlawed use of the symbol, with Berlin and Saxony also following suit.

Officials in the states of Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt have said they are looking into similar measures.

Anyone who brandishes the symbol at demonstrations or paints it on cars or buildings in a show of support for Vladimir Putin’s war could risk up to three years in jail or a fine.

“It is incomprehensible to me how this symbol ‘Z’ could be used in our country to condone this crime,” said Lower Saxony’s interior minister Boris Pistorius.

Bavaria’s Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich noted that freedom of opinion is a “great asset” but it “ends where criminal law begins”.

“Sympathisers who use the symbol ‘Z’ of Russian forces in Bavaria must know that they may be liable to prosecution for approving criminal acts,” he said.

“We will not allow violations of international law to be condoned.”

A truck with the ‘Z’ symbol drives on the Moscow Ring Road. Picture: AFP

On Monday, the country’s Interior Ministry welcomed the announcements.

A spokesperson for the ministry told reporters: “The letter Z as such is of course not forbidden, but its use may in individual cases constitute an endorsement of the Russian war of aggression.”

“The Russian war of aggression on the Ukraine is a criminal act, and whoever publicly approves of this war of aggression can also make himself liable to prosecution,” the spokesperson said, according to Al Jazeera.

“The federal security authorities have an eye on this, and in this respect we welcome the announcement that several federal states will also examine in individual cases whether this could be a criminal act and to take action accordingly.”

Germany’s federal prosecutor has opened a probe into suspected war crimes by Russian troops since the invasion of Ukraine.

– with AFP

Originally published as Call to criminalise controversial Russian ‘Z’ symbol