CHAPTER 13—CIVIL RIGHTS
Sec.
241.
Conspiracy against rights.
242.
Deprivation of rights under color of law.

243.
Exclusion of jurors on account of race or color.
244.
Discrimination against person wearing uniform of armed forces.
245.
Federally protected activities.
246.
Deprivation of relief benefits.
247.
Damage to religious property; obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs.
248.
Freedom of access to clinic entrances.
249.
Hate crime acts.
250.
Penalties for civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct.
        
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2022—Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title XII, §1202(a)(2), Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 924, added item 250.
2009—Pub. L. 111–84, div. E, §4707(b), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2841, added item 249.
1994—Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330023(a)(1), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2150, substituted “Freedom of access to clinic entrances” for “Blocking access to reproductive health services” in item 248.
Pub. L. 103–259, §4, May 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 697, added item 248.
1988—Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7018(b)(2), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4396, struck out “of citizens” after “rights” in item 241.
Pub. L. 100–346, §3, June 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 645, added item 247.
1976—Pub. L. 94–453, §4(b), Oct. 2, 1976, 90 Stat. 1517, added item 246.
1968—Pub. L. 90–284, title I, §102, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 75, added item 245.
§241. Conspiracy against rights
If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; or
If two or more persons go in disguise on the highway, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured—
They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 696; Pub. L. 90–284, title I, §103(a), Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 75; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7018(a), (b)(1), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4396; Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, §60006(a), title XXXII, §§320103(a), 320201(a), title XXXIII, §330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1970, 2109, 2113, 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §§604(b)(14)(A), 607(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507, 3511.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §51 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §19, 35 Stat. 1092).
Clause making conspirator ineligible to hold office was omitted as incongruous because it attaches ineligibility to hold office to a person who may be a private citizen and who was convicted of conspiracy to violate a specific statute. There seems to be no reason for imposing such a penalty in the case of one individual crime, in view of the fact that other crimes do not carry such a severe consequence. The experience of the Department of Justice is that this unusual penalty has been an obstacle to successful prosecutions for violations of the act.
Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.
Minor changes in phraseology were made.