Putin signed a law on life sentences for “sabotage activities”

President Vladimir Putin signed a law amending the Criminal Code, providing for life sentences for “sabotage activities.” The document was published on the legal information website and has already entered into force.

The law supplements the Criminal Code with three new articles: “Promotion of sabotage activities” (Article 281.1 of the Criminal Code), “Training for the purpose of carrying out sabotage activities” (Article 281.2 of the Criminal Code) and “Organization of a sabotage community and participation in it” (Article 281.3 of the Criminal Code). “Recruitment, financing or involvement in sabotage” will be punishable by imprisonment for a term of eight years to life imprisonment. “Aiding sabotage” will be punishable by imprisonment for a term of ten to 20 years.

For “undertaking training to commit sabotage” the penalty is imprisonment for a term of 15 years to life imprisonment. According to the document, this training is “the acquisition of knowledge during physical and psychological training, while studying methods of committing these crimes, rules for handling weapons and explosive devices.”

Deputies included in the list of aggravating circumstances (Article 63 of the Criminal Code) the commission of an act for the purpose of “propaganda,” “justification,” and “support” of sabotage.