The State Duma approved the law on treason during an armed conflict
The State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a bill in the first reading, according to which working for the enemy during an armed conflict is treason.
The draft law was presented by United Russia deputy Ernest Valeev, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“It is proposed in Article 275 “High Treason” to establish liability for going over to the enemy’s side in an armed conflict, military action or other actions with the use of weapons and military equipment, in which the Russian Federation takes part.
Thus, we are restoring a new form of responsibility for treason against the Motherland, for going over to the side of the enemy.
In addition, taking into account the fact that citizens of the Russian Federation can participate in military actions that impede the interests of the Russian Federation not only in the form of treason, but also in other forms, it is proposed to establish additional liability to Article 208 “For the participation of a citizen of the Russian Federation or a stateless person, who permanently resides in the Russian Federation in an armed conflict, military operations on the territory of a foreign state for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation.
It is proposed to establish responsibility for carrying out confidential cooperation with the intelligence services of foreign states, for secretly establishing and maintaining contact with intelligence services or their representatives in order to facilitate their activities, if these actions are deliberately directed against the activities of the Russian Federation...
In Article 276 “Responsibility for espionage” there are two forms of responsibility: for the release of information that constitutes a state secret or when other information is transmitted on the instructions of the special services. It is proposed to additionally establish responsibility for collecting, stealing, storing for the purpose of transferring to the enemy information that can be used against the RF Armed Forces or other troops or military formations, committed in conditions of an armed conflict.
It is proposed to establish responsibility for public calls for activities that are directed against the security of the state or for government authorities obstructing their powers to ensure the security of the Russian Federation,” Valeev said.
In addition, changes are proposed to Article 284 “Carrying out activities by a foreign international non-governmental organization in respect of which a decision has been made to recognize it as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation.”
“Remove the clause that liability occurs only in cases where it (citizens of the Russian Federation are responsible for actions that fall under the elements of a crime, including in cases where the actions were committed outside the country) was committed on the territory of the Russian Federation,” explained deputy
It was also proposed to strengthen criminal liability for mercenarism and tighten sanctions in this article.
During the discussion, deputy from the liberal forces “New People” Ksenia Goryacheva asked for examples of the difference between expressing one’s opinion regarding the actions of the state and actions against the security of Russia.
“The government’s conclusion notes that the wording of this article does not meet the constitutional requirements for clarity, certainty and unambiguity. Do you see a need for amendments for the next reading? Perhaps you already see which ones?” asked Goryacheva.
“If your opinion is expressed in the form of public calls not to comply with the decisions of the authorities to ensure the security of the state, then your actions will have signs of a crime.”,” Ernest Valeev answered.
In addition, the explanatory note to the document states that the sanctions imply up to twenty years in prison with a fine of up to 500 thousand rubles for mercenarism or treason.
The draft law was adopted by a majority vote in the first reading.
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