State Duma toughens punishment for surrender and looting

A group of deputies submitted to the State Duma a bill that introduces long sentences for crimes “during the period of mobilization or martial law, in wartime”, for voluntary surrender and looting.

Recall that at the very beginning of the special operation in Ukraine, the State Duma introduced criminal penalties for “fakes about the army”, as well as administrative and criminal penalties for “discrediting the army”.

Later, in July, the State Duma adopted bills that toughen the concept of high treason, prohibit the refusal of state defense orders or contracts for state and municipal services in the context of military operations, and also allow the government to introduce a special mode of operation at some enterprises, including increasing working hours, appoint shifts on weekends, nights and holidays.

The new bill was introduced by a group of deputies from United Russia, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and New People, as well as senators Andrei Klishas and Olga Kovitidi. The document has the status of amendments to a bill already adopted in the first reading in July, which has nothing to do with the special operation (on replacing part of the served sentence with a milder one). Thus, the deputies will be able to pass the law on mobilization and looting through the State Duma in the shortest possible time.

The bill involves the introduction of new articles of the Criminal Code. Firstly, on voluntary surrender (Article 352.1 of the Criminal Code), which involves from 3 to 10 years in prison. release, returned to the unit or to the place of service and did not commit other crimes while in captivity. Secondly, on looting (Article 356.1 of the Criminal Code), which can lead to up to 15 years in prison, based on the severity of the crime.

It is also proposed to introduce punishment for refusing to execute orders during a period of martial law or warfare, for which up to three years in prison under Part 2.1 of Art. 332 of the Criminal Code.

In addition to these, a number of articles are introduced that provide for punishment for violation of the terms of state contracts in the defense sector (Articles 201.2, 201.3, 285.5, 285.6 of the Criminal Code), which provide for up to 10 years in prison.

The bill also toughens punishment during the period of mobilization and martial law under the article on unauthorized abandonment of a military unit (Article 337 of the Criminal Code). The maximum punishment under this article will increase from 5 to 10 years, depending on the term. From two to 10 days - up to 5 years in prison. From 10 days to one month - up to 7 years. More than a month - from 5 to 10 years.

The punishment is also toughened under criminal articles on desertion (338 of the Criminal Code), evasion of service (339 of the Criminal Code), violation of the rules of combat duty, border guard, guard duty and patrolling (340, 341, 342 and 344 of the Criminal Code), loss, destruction or damage to military property (346, 347 and 348 of the Criminal Code) in wartime.

The bill was adopted immediately in the second and in the third, final reading on Tuesday 20 September. Now it will have to be approved by the Federation Council and the president.