MOSCOW, April 10. /TASS/. The Russian State Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation recommended on Monday that the lower house of parliament pass a bill containing legislative amendments, in the second reading, aimed at toughening liability for terrorism and instituting life imprisonment for the crime of treason.

"In the light of recent tragic events, at the instructions of the speaker of the State Duma, a group of deputies has proposed several legislative amendments that address the need to toughen punishment for terrorism-related crimes. These include stricter [criminal] liability for terrorism, [including] for inducement and recruitment [into a terrorist group], as well as for the organization of a terrorist group," Irina Pankina, first deputy committee chair, said.

According to her, the second reading of the bill may take place at a plenary Duma session on April 13.

Earlier, Vasily Piskarev, head of the Duma Commission on Safety and Anti-Corruption, said that a group of deputies had amended the government’s bill for clarifying [criminal] liability for committing terrorist acts and sabotage, which passed in the first reading in December 2022. The amendments call for increasing the maximum prison term from 15 to 20 years under the relevant article of the Russian Criminal Code (RCC), "Act of Terrorism." Those convicted under the amended RCC article "Act of International Terrorism" could face punishment ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment (currently, it is from 10 to 20 years in prison, or life imprisonment). The minimum penalty for recruiting or engaging [others] in terrorism-related crimes, under the amendments, could increase from five to seven years, with the minimum penalty for aiding and abetting [terrorist acts] rising from 10 to 12 years.

The amended RCC article "Organization of and Participation in a Terrorist Network" stipulates a term of 10 to 15 years in prison (currently, the term is 5 to 10 years). Under the amended RCC article "Sabotage," punishment would be toughened for actions aimed at damaging transportation infrastructure and basic life necessities of the population, as well as for causing harm to human health in order to undermine economic security and national defense. These crimes would be punishable by up to 20 years in prison (currently, 15 years). The amendments also propose establishing life imprisonment for treason, which is currently punishable by up to 20 years of incarceration.