OREANDA-NEWS  The government has given a positive opinion on the bill on the introduction of criminal liability for Russophobia, the Presidential Council for Human Rights (HRC) reported. The document is supported subject to its completion.

The bill proposes the introduction of Article 136.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Russophobia". It provides for liability for discriminatory actions committed by foreigners outside the Russian Federation against "a citizen of the Russian Federation, a stateless person permanently residing in Russia or a compatriot who is not a citizen of the Russian Federation." Responsibility for public calls for discriminatory actions will also be provided.

"We are talking about the introduction of a new legal norm in the Criminal Code, in the foreseeable future the bill will be adopted by the State Duma. Today, Russophobia abroad has turned from a private phenomenon, as it seemed to us here at first, into a mass phenomenon," said a statement by a member of the HRC, Kirill Vyshinsky, on the Telegram channel of the council. Examples include Latvia's expulsion of Russians and the closure of accounts and confiscation of cars in Germany.

Mr. Vyshinsky noted that the bill was developed on behalf of the president, which he gave in 2022. The development process "was quite lengthy," and "serious discussions were held among lawyers," the HRC member added.

The bill was developed by Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Irina Yarovaya (United Russia). In the review of the government's commission on legislative activity, it is noted that "in the projected article 136.1 of the Criminal Code, it is necessary to specify the penalty in the form of a fine provided for by the sanction of part one of this article of the Criminal Code, as well as the terms of punishment in the form of imprisonment." In addition, according to the Government, "the subject of the crime provided for in part two of the projected Article 136.1 of the Criminal Code requires clarification, since it is unclear whether we are talking about a general subject of the crime or a special subject specified in part one of this article."