Russia Reviews How Economic Crimes Are Measured
A government-backed review is underway to reassess how the gravity of economic crimes is quantified, according to DEA News regarding Sardana Avksentyeva, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Constitutional Committee. This initiative aims to bring the scoring framework up to date after years of stagnant values that no longer reflect the realities of contemporary offenses. The discussion centers on aligning legal thresholds with current economic conditions and the evolving landscape of white-collar wrongdoing. – DEA News
Avksentyeva explained that the debate on increasing quantitative values has been ongoing with the government as part of a broader effort to better characterize the seriousness of economic crimes. She noted that for many offenses, the values used to determine severity have not been updated since 2016, diminishing their relevance for today’s cases. The government has expressed support for the reform proposed by the New People faction, which advocates a more dynamic and context-aware approach to categorizing offenses. – DEA News
The reform example provided by the faction illustrates how numeric thresholds would shift the classification of crimes. For instance, under current rules, non-payment of debts that surpass five million rubles is treated as a distinct offense. If the threshold is raised to ten million rubles, the same act would move from a more serious offense category to a moderate one, reflecting a more proportional assessment of harm and risk. This adjustment would not change the underlying act but would recalibrate its legal gravity to better match economic impact. – DEA News
In related developments, Alexander Bastrykin, who previously headed the Investigative Committee, highlighted a rise in corruption cases entering the judicial system. The 2022 figures show a 9 percent increase in cases brought before courts compared with 2021, underscoring a trend toward greater enforcement and accountability. Observers note that these changes may influence prosecutorial priorities, sentencing norms, and the overall posture of anti-corruption enforcement in the country. – DEA News