Translated material
Putin signs amendments toughening several articles of the Criminal Code
Vladimir Putin signed amendments toughening penalties for many articles of the Criminal Code, as well as introducing a new article on assisting international organizations and foreign government agencies. The law is on the official legal information portal.
published The amendments introduce the possibility of life imprisonment under the article on treason (Article 275 of the Criminal Code) - previously, the maximum punishment under this article was 20 years in prison with a fine of up to 500 thousand rubles.
The punishment under the article on terrorist acts (Article 205 of the Criminal Code) is being toughened — up to 20 years of imprisonment can be imposed under it instead of 15. In addition, terrorist acts that resulted in both intentional and unintentional causing of death will be classified under Part 3 of this article — previously, terrorist acts that resulted in unintentional causing of death were classified under Part 2, which has a lower minimum punishment.
The minimum penalty for aiding terrorist activity (Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code) will also be increased. Under Part 1 of this article, one can now receive seven years of imprisonment instead of five, and under Part 3, 12 years instead of 10.
Under the article on participation in a terrorist community (Part 2 of Article 205.4 of the Criminal Code), the punishment will increase to 10-15 years of imprisonment instead of the term of five to ten years in the current version.
The article on sabotage (Article 281 of the Criminal Code) has been supplemented with a new composition. Now it applies to actions aimed at "causing harm to human health and (or) components of the natural environment." The maximum punishment under Part 1 of this article increases from 15 to 20 years of imprisonment, and Part 2 is supplemented with the following qualifying features: the commission of a crime by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, as well as the connection with an encroachment on the facilities of the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Russian National Guard, state bodies involved in defense tasks or an encroachment on the facilities of the fuel and energy and defense industry complexes, that is, this article can apply to arson of military registration and enlistment offices and administrative buildings.
Part 3 of the article is supplemented by the element of connection with an attack on particularly dangerous objects, such as nuclear power facilities and biological laboratories.
The article on attacks on persons or institutions enjoying international protection (Article 360 of the Criminal Code) has also undergone changes. Now, according to it, threats of such attacks are also punishable. Under Part 1, the punishment is increased to 12 years of imprisonment instead of six years, and under Part 2, to 20 years instead of 10.
Changes were made to the article on an act of international terrorism (Article 361 of the Criminal Code): the minimum term under Part 1 of this article increases from 10 to 12 years of imprisonment, and under Part 2 – from eight to ten years.
Finally, a new article is being introduced into the Criminal Code on assisting in the execution of decisions of international organizations in which the Russian Federation does not participate, or foreign government agencies (Article 284.3 of the Criminal Code). Penalties under it include a fine of 300 thousand to 1 million rubles or imprisonment for up to five years with deprivation of the right to engage in certain activities for the same period.
"The text of this article is still very broad, but judging by the comments of pro-government media, it will imply punishment for both assisting in the execution of decisions of judicial bodies and for assisting in the investigation of war crimes. It is not yet clear whether this will affect the ECHR," says OVD-Info lawyer Daria Korolenko, this innovation.
commented In addition, the article on public calls for the implementation of activities directed against state security (Article 280.4 of the Criminal Code) will apply to calls for the commission of crimes provided for by this new article. The State Duma amendments on April 17, and the next day they were in the second and third readings. The Federation Council law on April 26.