MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. The Kremlin is monitoring the passage through the State Duma lower house of the presidential package of bills mitigating responsibility under Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code (stirring up of hatred or enmity, and equally violation of human dignity), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Wednesday when the voting on the bills was still in progress.
Now, the parliamentarians have already approved under the third reading amendments that mitigate responsibility in the cases on social media ‘likes’ and reposts. The law will have retroactive effect and will apply to previously initiated criminal cases and sentences.
"This is a topic that was previously touched upon when human rights activists met with the president," Peskov said. "We certainly follow the passage of this bill," the spokesman said.
The amendments concern softening punishment first of all for Internet users. The crimes committed for first time related to stirring up hatred or humiliating people for their sex, race, nationality, language, origin, religion and belonging to a social group in public, including through mass media and the Internet, will be removed from the Criminal Code and be considered as administrative offences.
Under the proposal, fines of between 10,000 rubles ($150) and 20,000 rubles ($300) or compulsory works of up to 100 hours or an administrative arrest for up to 15 days will be introduced for individuals. Legal entities will face fines of between 250,000 rubles ($3,750) and 500,000 rubles ($7,500).
Felony penalties will take effect if an administrative offence is committed twice during the year. These crimes will be punishable by prison terms of between two and five years, like under the previous Criminal Code provisions.