MOSCOW, October 12 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia’s Investigative Committee has suggested introducing criminal punishment for covering up any crimes against minors, IC chairman Alexander Bastrykin said at the first meeting of the IC consultative committee for the protection of rights of orphaned children.

“In January-August alone the IC has investigated 9,701 crimes committed against children under age, including 328 murders, 715 rapes and 4,000 cases of violence and other cases of sexual abuse,” Bastrykin said.

The IC chief suggested considering the introduction of criminal punishment for failure to present full information, or for presenting distorted or incomplete information about cases of physical and psychological violence, sexual and other exploitation of persons under age, as well as teenagers in socially risky conditions.