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Duma calls for harder punishment for drunk driving

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev suggested tightening punishment for traffic accidents provoked by drink driver

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, September 24 (Itar-Tass) —— The State Duma might lengthen a maximum prison term ( nine years) to which drivers implicated in drink driving might be sentenced at present, Chairman of the Duma Committee on Civil, Criminal, Arbital and Procedural Legislation Pavel Kraseninnikov from the United Russia faction told Itar-Tass on Monday.

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev suggested tightening punishment for traffic accidents provoked by drink drivers. "Obviously, one must think of a harder punishment for such crimes because even in such a horrible incident as the recent traffic accident in Moscow the envisaged punishment is rather moderate," Medvededv said at a meeting with his fellow deputy ministers on Monday.

Even if a mere drunk driving is in question fines should be increased, Krasheninnikov said. If casualties are entailed the existing maximum prison term (nine years) should be lengthened, but it should not be as long as imprisonment for life as some people suggest, but the maximum nine-year punishment should be harder, " Krasheninnikov said.

The problem of administering a harder punishment for traffic accidents provoked by drink drivers was raised after a tragedy in Moscow on September 22 when a drink driver ran over seven people who had been waiting at a bus stop. Among the victims are five youngsters who became winners of the Moscow arts festival " We are Together" organized for children with restricted abilities.

Leader of the Duma United Russia faction Andrei Vorobyov said that the United Russia would press ahead for harder punishment to drunk drivers in, particular, suggesting fines worth 100,000 administered to drunk drivers and stripping such drivers of a driving license either for a long term or for life if implicated in drunk driving a second time. A criminal punishment might be administered even if no casualties are entailed, but if the driver in question had been detained for drunk driving earlier, Krasheninnikov said.

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