Medvedev liberalized the Criminal Code

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today, December 7, signed the law on the liberalization of the Criminal Code, the Kremlin press service reports . A new article is introduced into the code, according to which persons who have committed an economic crime for the first time can avoid criminal liability by fully comparing the damage and paying a fine in the amount of a five -time amount of damage.

A new form of punishment is also introduced - forced labor. People who committed crimes of small and medium severity, as well as serious crimes, if they are committed for the first time, may be sentenced to them.

Amendments also cancel criminal liability for slander, insult, illegal turnover of precious metals and a number of other violations that will now be punished by administrative responsibility. Another change concerns crimes of minor gravity - now a person who has committed such a crime can be sentenced to imprisonment only in the presence of aggravating circumstances.

In addition, the bill provides for amendments to Article 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (house arrest) aimed at reducing the number of persons detained.