The government conceptually approved the introduction of a new article “Russophobia” into the Criminal Code

The Russian Government Commission on Legislative Activities on Monday conceptually approved amendments to the Criminal (CC) and Criminal Procedure (CPC) codes, developed by State Duma Deputy Speaker Irina Yarova (United Russia) and suggesting the inclusion of a new article 136.1 “Russophobia” in the Criminal Code.

Ms. Yarovaya proposed introducing criminal liability for “discriminatory actions committed outside the territory of the Russian Federation by a foreign official, an official of a public international organization or a foreign citizen using his official position in relation to a citizen of the Russian Federation, a stateless person permanently residing in the Russian Federation or a compatriot who is not citizen of the Russian Federation” (part one of the draft article), as well as for “public calls for the commission of the specified discriminatory actions” (Part 2 of Article 136.1 of the Criminal Code). At the same time in Art. 247 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, it is proposed to make changes according to which “in exceptional cases” it will be possible to conduct trials in criminal cases of crimes of medium gravity in the absence of the defendant.

The draft official review approved by the government commission, in particular, notes that “in the draft article 136.1 of the Criminal Code it is necessary to specify the penalty in the form of a fine provided for in the sanction of part one of this article of the Criminal Code, as well as the terms of punishment in the form of imprisonment.” In addition, according to the government, “the subject of the crime provided for in the second part of the draft article 136.1 of the Criminal Code requires clarification, since it is unclear whether we are talking about a general subject of the crime or a special subject specified in the first part of this article.”

Based on the above, the government of the Russian Federation “supports the bill, subject to its revision taking into account these comments,” the draft review says.

Afanasy Sborov