27 May 2004 12:38
Russia moves closer to harsher penalties for terrorist crimes
Moscow, 27 May: The State Duma adopted amendments to the Russian Criminal Code at the second reading today that
increase penalties for the crime of terrorist activities. Four hundred and two deputies voted unanimously in favour of a
draft law to amend Articles 57 and 205 of the Criminal Code.
The main changes will be to Article 205 on terrorism. It is suggested that life imprisonment be introduced as the
ultimate penalty under this article.
The draft law envisages increasing penalties under Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code and lengthening the
prison terms imposed under all three sections of the article. Therefore, "terrorist activity, i.e. carrying out
explosions, arson or other acts posing a threat to human life, entailing significant damage to property or dangerous
consequences, should these acts be carried out with the aim of violating public safety, terrorizing the population or
influencing decisions taken by the authorities" will from now on be punished by incarceration of between eight and
12 years. The same actions carried out by a group involved in a deliberate plot carry a 10-20 year sentence, while
similar crimes "committed by an organized group and resulting in death or serious consequences and involving an
attack on facilities that use nuclear power or nuclear materials" carry a 15-20 year sentence or life
imprisonment.
The draft law proposes amending Article 57 of the Russian Criminal Code and changing the life imprisonment
regulations. If the law is adopted, life imprisonment will be a separate penalty for particularly grave crimes that
threaten human lives or public safety rather than merely an alternative to the death penalty.
The draft law was submitted to the State Duma by a number of deputies in the One Russia faction and adopted at the
first reading on 11 February.
[ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 0730 gmt 27 May 04 quoted Deputy Duma speaker for One Russia Vladimir
Pekhtin as saying that introducing harsher penalties for terrorism was "an absolutely vital and justified
measure" and that "no connivance or weakness is acceptable in the fight against terrorism". He went on to
say: "General democratic norms do not apply to bandits and murderers."]
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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