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State Duma passes law imposing life imprisonment for sabotage

"Taking into account the fact that Russia is conducting a special military operation and simultaneously hosts refugees and remains open for the entry and exit of foreign citizens, the adoption of this bill is a fundamentally important step necessary for the protection of our country," Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said

© Anton Novoderzhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. The Russian State Duma on Wednesday adopted in the third and final reading a bill introducing criminal liability up to life imprisonment for aiding sabotage activities.

The bill proposes adding new articles to the Russian Criminal Code, which would establish liability for assisting, embroiling, eliciting and inducing people to commit acts of sabotage and also for their financing. Besides, training for committing acts of sabotage and establishing criminal networks for committing sabotage would become a criminal offense.

"Taking into account the fact that Russia is conducting a special military operation and simultaneously hosts refugees and remains open for the entry and exit of foreign citizens, the adoption of this bill is a fundamentally important step necessary for the protection of our country. This is the shared opinion of all Duma factions," Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.

Contributing to subversive activities

The bill introduces an 8-to 15-year prison term with a fine of 300,000 to 700,000 rubles ($4,200-$9,800) for persuading, recruiting or otherwise drawing in a person to commit sabotage, including for financing a subversive act. The same crime committed by abusing an official position of authority will entail up to 10 to 20 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 rubles to 1 million rubles ($7,000-$14,000). It may also entail life imprisonment.

Organizing networks of saboteurs

The bill introduces a 15-to 20-year prison term with a fine of up to 1 million rubles ($14,000) for organizing or directing a sabotage network. It may also entail life imprisonment. Participating in a syndicate of saboteurs may be punished by 5 to 10 years in prison with a fine of up to 500,000 rubles.

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Russia's domestic policy Vyacheslav Volodin

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