Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has signed the bill on lifetime prison terms for treason, as well as the bill allowing Russia to deprive people of their acquired citizenship for “posing a threat to national security’ or spreading ‘fakes about the Russian military’, TASS and RIA Novosti report.
Russia’s State Duma adopted amendments to the country’s Criminal Code on 18 April, introducing lifetime prison terms for treason. The bill was introduced in Russia’s lower house on 7 April. Previously, people found guilty of treason would spend 12 to 20 years in prison.
Vasily Piskarev, head of the Security and Anti-Corruption Committee of the State Duma, says the parliament also suggests that both minimum and maximum punishments be raised for terrorism and sabotage.
Vladimir Putin also signed the updated law “On Citizenship”. Amendments were added to the document that allow depriving acquired citizenship if a person was found guilty of cooperation with an “undesirable organisation”, of “discrediting” the Russian Armed Forces, of violating the territorial integrity of Russia, of evading the duties of a “foreign agent”, of public appeals to extremism or repeated violations of the law on rallies.
