Putin signed a law punishing denial of the “genocide of the Soviet people”

Vladimir Putin signed a law on criminal liability “for denying or approving the genocide of the Soviet people by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War and for insulting the memory of the victims of genocide.” The document was published on the official Internet portal of legal information.

The law amends Article 243.4. Criminal Code (desecration of military graves), as well as Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code (rehabilitation of Nazism). Now:

• for denying the fact of genocide of the Soviet people and insulting the memory of the victims of genocide will be subject to a fine of up to three million rubles or imprisonment for up to three years;
• for approval of the genocide of the Soviet people, as well as for the destruction or desecration of graves and memorials (including abroad) dedicated to victims of genocide, a fine of up to five million rubles or imprisonment of up to five years can be imposed.
• Faridaily noted that amendments to the Criminal Code are being introduced at the suggestion of the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin. He has repeatedly called for the fact of genocide of the Soviet people to be enshrined in legislation and is considered the main lobbyist for this topic.