Russian govt finds proposed penalty for implementing anti-Russian sanctions to be too harsh

MOSCOW. April 25 (Interfax) - The Russian government has disagreed with the approach proposed in a new bill criminalizing any implementation of anti-Russian sanctions.

The bill's review by the Russian government has been published as part of the database maintained by the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament.

The document states that the government finds the proposed penalty of up to ten years in prison to be excessive. The Russian ministers have also opposed the bill's provision stipulating that any case of implementing anti-Russian sanctions should be considered as abuse of power as per the Russian Criminal Code.

The government indicates that Article 201 of the Criminal Code (Abuse of Power) proposed to be amended under the bill essentially protects the interests of commercial firms and other entities. Meanwhile, the purpose of the bill is to protect the interests of Russian citizens and the Russian state, the government said. The proposed bill will not help fully attain these goals, according to the review.

On April 7, the State Duma database registered a bill amending the Criminal Code that was authored by a group of Duma members and Russian senators. A memo attached to the bill explains that "should anyone inside the Russian Federation decide to restrict the rights or freedoms of any Russian citizens, legal entities, agencies or organizations, such persons must be subject to criminal liability."

The draft legislation envisages amendments to the Russian Criminal Code under which any observance of foreign sanctions will be classed as a case of abuse of power and penalized under Part 2 of Article 201, which stipulates a maximum penalty of up to ten years in jail.