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Each third convicted corruptionist fined in Russia

Overall fines for corruption crimes exceeded 122 million roubles for the first year

MOSCOW, May 23 (Itar-Tass) —— Each third convicted corruptionist was fined in Russia with a fine much higher than a bribe. This category of convicts includes those who gave a bribe and those who took a bribe, head of the supervisory department for the execution of the anti-corruption legislation of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office Yuri Syomin told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

High fines for bribes and commercial bribery were introduced a year ago, and, according to the supervisory agency, this punitive measure is successful. The court practice shows that high fines primarily began to replace suspended sentences.

“Already in the previous year under new variants of the articles of the Criminal Code verdicts were passed to each third convict for taking or giving a bribe and to a half of convicts for commercial bribery,” Syomin noted. “The fines are levied more frequently against the bribe-givers. The fines became the main sentence for 80% of convicts under the article for giving a bribe in the new variant,” he added.

Syomin noted that about 2,000 people were sentenced to fines under the corruption-related articles in 2011. “Most convicts (1,852) were fined for 25,000 up to 500,000 roubles. Some 38 convicts were sentenced to the fines from 500,000 to one million roubles, 15 convicts from one million roubles to 2.5 million roubles, another 16 convicts from 2.5 million roubles to 15 million roubles,” the official from the Prosecutor General’s Office noted.

So, overall fines for corruption crimes exceeded 122 million roubles for the first year. “Overall fines for an illegal reward from legal persons exceeded 81 million roubles,” Syomin said.

Meanwhile, from the beginning of this year the verdicts are passed on the criminal cases for massive bribes. The verdicts carry maximum fines of up to 500 million roubles.

Meanwhile, Syomin noted that in the previous year the downward tendency in the number of registered corruption-related crimes continued. However, there are fair reasons for this. “2011 became the main stage of the police reform. Meanwhile, for instance, policemen expose about 90% of commercial bribery cases. Alongside, the exposure and curbing of the most high-profile systemic corruption crimes, which high-ranking officials with sweeping powers committed, became prioritized,” Syomin underlined.

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