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Duma offers longer maximum term in jail for corruption in defence

Consequently, the responsibility for such crimes should be proportionate, said Yarovaya

MOSCOW, March 14 (Itar-Tass) —— The State Duma offered to increase from two to 12 years the maximum term in prison for corruption in the defence and industrial sector. The relevant amendments in Articles 204 and 290 of the Criminal Code were prepared by Chairperson of the State Duma Committee on Security and Counteraction to Corruption from United Russia Irina Yarovaya, Yarovaya’s press service told Itar-Tass on Wednesday. The bill was submitted for debates in the government and the Supreme Court.

“The initiative envisages setting the maximum responsibility for abuses and corruption in the defence and industrial sector. It is absolutely obvious that illegal actions in the defence and industrial sector are linked with the damage to the national security interests,” the lawmaker elaborated. “Consequently, the responsibility for such crimes should be proportionate,” she said with confidence.

A tougher punishment will spread on the officials, “who determine the executors of the state defence order and those who fulfil managerial functions in the organizations, which are the executors of the defence order,” she said. “If today the verdict under Article 204 envisages a term in prison up to two years, so, if the amendments are enacted this term will reach 12 years with a fine of up to 50-fold sum of a commercial bribe,” Yarovaya warned. “The sentence under Article 290 for a bribe will increase fivefold,” she underlined.

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