The Federation Council passed a law that gives life sentences for treason and toughens criminal liability for terrorism. 156 senators voted in support of the initiative, one voted against.
Now the maximum penalty under the “treason” clause is up to 20 years in prison.
The Federation Council approved a series of Penal Code amendments that the government proposed in November 2022. These include not only toughening the punishment for treason, but also strengthening responsibility for crimes of a terrorist nature and crimes against the foundations of the constitutional order.
Thus, the maximum sentence in the article “Terrorist act” was increased from 15 to 20 years. In addition, the minimum penalty threshold for an act of international terrorism has been increased from 10 to 12 years (the maximum penalty is life imprisonment).
The minimum penalty is increased (from five to seven years) for membership in or involvement in terrorist crimes, and 10 to 15 years in prison for organizing and joining a terrorist community.
The document increases criminal liability for acts aimed at sabotage and damage to transport infrastructure facilities. For such crimes, the perpetrator could face up to 20 years in prison (instead of the current 15).
Assistance in the execution of decisions of international organizations
The Penal Code will be supplemented by a new article 284.3. It provides for a prison sentence of up to five years for helping to implement the decisions of foreign state authorities and international organizations, to which Russia does not participate. An example of such an organization is the International Criminal Court.
Thus, in order to facilitate the implementation of decisions of international organizations or foreign state bodies, to which the Russian Federation does not participate, on criminal prosecution of Russian officials or the military, from 300 thousand rubles to 1 million rubles or imprisonment will be imposed. up to 5 years by deprivation of the right to engage in certain activities.
Attack on protected persons
The innovations approved by the Federation Council also significantly toughen the punishment under article 360 of the Criminal Code (attack on persons or institutions enjoying international protection). Criminal liability is brought not only for assault, but also for the threat of committing such a crime.
This will be punishable by imprisonment from seven to 12 years (now – from two to six years). The same act committed with the intent of fomenting a war or complicating international relations is punishable by imprisonment from 12 to 20 years (now five to 10 years).
Deprivation of acquired citizenship
The Federation Council also approved amendments to the law “Citizenship of the Russian Federation”. They will allow the disgrace of the army, desertion, calls to violate the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation and the deprivation of Russian citizenship acquired for extremism. It is also possible to forfeit acquired citizenship because of calls for encroaching on a statesman’s life, starting a war, and organizing an armed rebellion to forcefully change the constitutional order.
At the same time, the law reduces the number of requirements for naturalization to more than 20 categories of persons.
In total, the senators considered about 50 laws. In particular, they approved the appointment of veteran status to persons who participated in hostilities in the Donbass since 2014, and also recognized as veterans those who participated in the military operation, having concluded contracts with private military companies.