State Duma deputies adopted in the first reading a bill according to which an individual is exempt from liability for corruption if it is “recognized as a consequence of circumstances beyond his control.” The bill was published on the State Duma website.

Circumstances beyond the control of an individual mean “extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances that could not be expected or avoided under the given conditions.” These, according to the bill, include:

natural disasters (earthquake, flood, hurricane);
fire, mass diseases (epidemics);
strikes;
hostilities;
terrorist attacks;
prohibitive or restrictive measures taken by government bodies (including government bodies of foreign countries) and local governments.

The extent to which the circumstances were “extraordinary and unforeseen” will be decided by the commission for compliance with the requirements for official conduct of state or municipal employees. It is expected that it will determine the cause-and-effect relationship between the occurrence of these circumstances and the inability to avoid corruption.

If the law is adopted, judges, heads of municipalities, members of the Federation Council, State Duma deputies, prosecutors, customs officers, military personnel, civil servants and voting members of the election commission will be exempt from liability for corruption “in extraordinary circumstances,” the explanatory note says.

The State Duma allowed corruption under “extraordinary circumstances” in the first reading