The document, having been approved in the first reading, will undergo two more readings in the State Duma, the lower house, before progressing to the upper house, the Federation Council. Once adopted there, it will land on President Vladimir Putin’s desk come into force with his signature.
The proposed legislation also suggests stripping individuals of awards, ranks, and titles, irrespective of the gravity of the offenses outlined in the document. Previously, such penalties were reserved exclusively for those involved in severe or extremely serious crimes.
The document also foresees the confiscation of funds, assets, and other valuable belongings from individuals convicted of inciting “extremist” activities and advocating for sanctions against Russia.
The Russian State Duma declared that the legislation was approved after the initial reading with an overwhelming majority, receiving support from 395 MPs and only three against.
Almost five years ago, in 2019, Russia enacted a series of contentious media laws aimed at addressing the dissemination of fake news and the act of insulting government officials through both traditional media and the Internet.
The legislation was further reinforced in March 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the Speaker of the State Duma, deemed those measures insufficient.
“The current approach has proven ineffective in dealing with ‘scroundlers’. They live comfortable lives, renting real estate, and continue to receive payments at the expense of Russian citizens,” Volodin commented on his Telegram profile, referring to critics who have left Russia.
In the comment, which was also referenced in the Duma’s statement, he emphasized that those ‘scoundrels’ redirect the funds to support the ‘Nazi’ regime - most likely referring to the Ukrainian government.
“They allow themselves to publicly defame our country. Being abroad, they feel impunity, believing that justice cannot reach them,” said Volodin, who last week offered details on what kind of actions may lead to such sanctions.
Russian human rights watchdog OVD-Info cited deputy Andrei Lugovoi, one of the co-authors of the ‘scoundrels bill,’ who stressed the necessity of introducing new rules because individuals convicted under the country’s [repressive] laws should not only “serve a short prison term” but also face property forfeiture.
“The bill does not contain any new prohibitions, but tightens existing ones and once again reminds society that anti-war activities face punishment,” according to Maria Nemova, lawyer of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights group Memorial.
She believes that the bill is “quite typical for wartime laws in modern Russia.”
“The proposed amendments are aimed mainly at combating the ‘enemy within’ – opponents of the war who spread their opinions and try to persuade others,” she commented after the bill was sent to the parliamentary procedure on Monday.
