Sanctions will be punished by fine, “deprivation of liberty,” labor, arrest, or imprisonment.
QUICK FACTS:
- At a meeting on Friday, Russia’s State Duma—the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia (like the U.S. House of Representatives)—adopted a draft law in the second and the third reading, including criminal liability for calls for the introduction of foreign sanctions against Russia, The Russian News Agency (TASS) reports.
- The Russian Criminal Code will be updated by a new article that “Calls for the introduction of restrictive measures against the Russian Federation, citizens of the Russian Federation or Russian legal entities.”
LIST OF CONSEQUENCES FOR SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA:
- “A fine of up to 500,000 rubles ($4,700) or in the amount of the salary or any other income of the convicted person for a period of up to three years.”
- “Deprivation of liberty.”
- “Labor for up to three years.”
- “Arrest for up to six months.”
- “Imprisonment for up to three years with a possible fine of up to 200,000 rubles ($2,000) or in the amount of the convicted person’s salary for a period of up to one year.”
BACKGROUND:
- Russia’s State Duma also made the necessary changes to the Russian Criminal Code at a meeting on Friday, TASS notes.
- State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin on Monday had mentioned establishing criminal liability for calls for foreign sanctions against Russian citizens, saying that sanctions against Russia “will be condemned by everyone. Committing such actions is unacceptable. This should be reflected in our legislation.”
- He went on to say, “I do not rule out that the draft law adopted in the first reading could include an article in the Criminal Code for the second reading. There should be very severe punishment for such actions.”
- “We must protect our economy and citizens. These are actions against our country and citizens.”
