Public desecration of the St. George ribbon is now punishable by a fine of up to 3 million rubles or a prison sentence of up to three years. The law on this responsibility was signed today, December 29, by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Thus, the St. George ribbon is consecrated at the legislative level as one of the symbols of the military glory of Russia and the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War.
Since desecration of the St. George ribbon will be carried out by a group of people with prior agreement or on the Internet, you will have to pay a fine of 2 to 5 million rubles or be sentenced to up to 5 years in prison.
The document states that the tape can only be used by public authorities in cases involving historical memory. For example, when celebrating the occasion of Victory Day, various patriotic events.
It is also allowed to use the St. George ribbon on the occasion of memorable dates for the country or events designed to perpetuate the memory of Russian soldiers who stood out in wars.
Citizens and organizations “relying on the need to ensure Russia’s status as a symbol of military glory”, St. George also has the right to use the ribbon.
The adoption of the law was initiated by Olga Zanko, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Development of Civil Society, Issues of Public and Religious Associations, Deputy of the United Russia and Andrey Turchak, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council.
Zanko had previously said that the bill had been marked as a priority.
The explanatory note on the bill lists cases of “inappropriate” tape use to which law enforcement must respond.
“No one has, for example, a bag of St. George is not saying that wearing a ribbon will be punished. After all, you hang the St. George ribbon because you are proud of it, you honor the memory of your ancestors. “But if you burn the Saint George ribbon publicly, you will be punished for it,” MP Olga Zanko said at a meeting in April.
Also currently in some countries St. He also noted that the George ribbon was banned. » Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine. They ban it because they are afraid, because they understand how strong a symbol of unity it is. And we must protect it. We have to give a clear legal answer to the lawlessness of some states that are disguised as laws.
“Our fighters, our defenders in the NVO region have put a St. George ribbon on their uniforms,” said the parliamentarian. “Residents of the liberated areas, as it cannot be worn, St. They nervously pull the George ribbon out of the locker. But it’s very important to people,” Zanko is sure.
According to Senator Turchak, this bill is a response to the St. George’s ribbon ban in some republics of the former USSR. The St. George ribbon is banned in Georgia and Ukraine. “In Latvia it was identified with the symbols of the SS and Nazi Germany. Similar bills are on the way in Lithuania and Moldova,” he said.
For example, in Germany, on the eve of May 9 this year, the Berlin police on the territory of monuments and monuments to St. announced a ban on the display of any symbols, including St. George’s ribbons.
In Lithuania, in mid-July, Riga municipal police, wearing a cockade ear-flap hat and wearing a St. He writes that he fined a 52-year-old man who wore a George ribbon. In this form, he walked the streets with a dog. A local resident called the police, saying that a man “with symbols of the totalitarian regime” was wandering around the city.
The man refused to remove the tape and an administrative lawsuit was brought against him and he was fined €250.
What other laws did Putin pass on the eve of the holiday?
The President of Russia also signed a number of laws on special operations in Ukraine. For example, until they are completed, the income, expense statements of the authorities and other information about their property will not be published in the media and on the websites of the departments.
By the same decree, Putin exempted the military and officials sent to new regions participating in special operations from the obligation to provide information about income.
For those sent to the special operations region, additional social security is now provided for travel not only to the Donbass, but also to the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. We are talking about specialists who helped restore territories after hostilities.
If an employee is injured, injured or in shock, he will be paid 3 million rubles. If a business trip leads to the death of a specialist, his family will be paid 5 million rubles.
Saboteurs can face life sentences. The relevant law was signed by Putin. The document introduces new articles in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Offenders of involving a person in an act of sabotage, including financing an act of sabotage, can be sentenced to 8 to 15 years in prison with a fine of 300,000 to 700,000 rubles.
If the offender also exercises his official position, he can be sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison with a fine of 500 thousand to 1 million rubles. For the same crime, life imprisonment can be threatened, as in the case of organization and complicity in sabotage.
Accounts of people involved in financing sabotage activities will be blocked.
Putin also signed a law reducing the maximum daily interest rate on consumer loans and micro loans from 1% to 0.8%. Thus, during the year the debt can grow not 365%, but 292%. Also, the maximum accrued debt, penalties, etc. It cannot be more than 130% of the loan amount extended until one maturity. The law enters into force on 1 July 2023.
Vladimir Putin allowed all interested parties to attend court hearings on criminal cases via videoconference. Previously, such a layout was allowed, but only for some participants in the process.