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State Duma for life imprisonment for terrorists

MOSCOW, February 28. /ITAR-TASS/. The State Duma on Friday passed in the first reading the bill giving broader powers to the Federal Service (FSB) in fighting terrorism and envisaging heavier penalties for terrorist activities. The authors of the amendments are deputies from all the four factions of the lower house of parliament, led by Irina Yarovaya, deputy from United Russia, chairperson of the State Duma Security and Anti-Corruption Committee.

The bill introduces the deprivation of freedom for 15 to 20 years for masterminding crimes of terrorism or financing acts of terrorism.

The bill proposes under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation life imprisonment not only for terrorist acts but also for training for terrorist activities, organization of terrorist activities, establishing terrorist groups and participation in them, plotting activities of such groups and participation in them, hostage taking and hijacking means of air, water or rail transportation.

Under present jurisdiction, maximum penalties for such crimes are within 10-15 years of the deprivation of freedom. Aside from life imprisonment, the bill suggests for such crimes the prison terms of from 15 to 20 years.

Sentences for life are proposed for setting up illegal armed units and participation in them. Penalties for assisting terrorists are increased to 20 years in jail.

The Code of the Russian Federation on administrative offences is supplemented with an article on financing of terrorism.