Bastrykin: “We proposed lowering the age of criminal responsibility for teenagers to 12 years old”

The head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, who was expected for two days as a speaker at the odious St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, but he still did not show up, appeared there today to talk about the idea of ​​​​introducing criminal liability in Russia from the age of 12.

“The law of November 2025 established criminal liability from the age of 14 for facilitating terrorist activities, organizing a terrorist community and participating in it.

By the way, we proposed further lowering the age of criminal responsibility. Demoted. And we proposed to lower it a little more - following the example of some states.

In England, for example, criminal liability for serious crimes begins at the age of 10. We proposed 12 years, but they did not agree with us. Well, at least they agreed with this that 14 years...

You understand, on the one hand they are stupid, but on the other hand they grow much faster than we do in our time. And they already commit crimes at the age of 12-13, but do not fall under the age of criminal responsibility and get away with impunity,” Bastrykin said.

“I miss the Soviet Union. Much of what we talked about happened in the Soviet Union. And unfortunately, we do not use this experience,” Bastrykin said, concluding his speech.

After that, he read out his poems about longing for the times of the USSR.

Novaya Gazeta talked about how in the Soviet Union teenagers were brought to justice from the age of 12.