Russian Government Backs Imposing Ten-Year Prison Term on Those Promoting Separatism

Paul Goble

            Staunton, August 24 – Earlier this month, Duma deputy Pavel Krashenninikov and Senator Andrey Klishas, both known for their radicalism, calls for the addition to the Russian criminal code of a new paragraph, 280,2, that would impose sentences of up to 10 years in prison for actions directed at “the alienation of territory of Russia.”

            They also called for the addition f language to Paragraph 280.1 concerning “public calls for the carrying out of actions intended to violate the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.” Their addition would impose criminal sanctions only against those who did this more than once a year.

            The parliamentarians argue these measures are necessary to implement the new amendment to the Russian Constitution banning any questioning of the borders of the country (iz.ru/1052286/2020-08-25/kabmin-podderzhal-10-letnii-srok-za-otchuzhdenie-territorii-strany and iz.ru/1052170/natalia-bashlykova/tcelee-budet-kabmin-podderzhal-10-letnii-srok-za-otchuzhdenie-territorii-strany).

            The Russian council of ministers has now come out in favor of the measure, although it asked that the two drafters consider introducing some slightly more carefully drawn language on exactly what the measure would punish and when.  That means that the measure, to be taken up in September, almost certainly will pass.

            Leaders of three of the four systemic parties – United Russia, Just Russia, and the LDPR – have already come out in favor of the measure. KPRF leaders are opposed to the new bill because they say that it is a distraction since the problem of separatism in Russia today is not that great.

            Pro-Kremlin political analysts like Dmitry Fetisov and Yevgeny Suchkov are also supporting the measure, an indication that it has the backing of the Presidential Administration and will be fast-tracked through the legislature.