The deputies proposed to imprison for nine years for the collection of Red Book plants

A draft law has been submitted to the State Duma, which provides for criminal liability for the illegal collection and destruction of especially valuable plants from the Red Book of Russia and protected by international treaties of Russia. For the collection of rare plants, you can get up to nine years in prison. This was announced by the head of the State Duma Committee on State Construction and Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov.

The bill introduces a new article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation 260.1 – illegal destruction, damage, extraction, collection and circulation of especially valuable flora objects belonging to species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and (or) protected by international treaties of the Russian Federation. According to it, you can get a maximum punishment of six to nine years in prison with a fine of up to 1 million rubles. Criminal liability will come if the crime is committed with intent, and not through negligence.

“Increased responsibility for the destruction of rare animals and aquatic life is provided for by the current law, but not for especially valuable plants,” Pavel Krasheninnikov told reporters (quoted from “Interfax”). He added that now the protection of especially valuable objects of the plant world is insufficient. Mr. Krasheninnikov noted that in some regions, cases of destruction of rare plants have been growing in recent years.

Olesya Pavlenko