The government of the Russian Federation approved criminal prosecution for “Russophobia”

The Governmental Commission on Legislative Activity supported the introduction of a new article in the Criminal Code – on responsibility for Russophobia. This was reported by “Interfax” with reference to a source familiar with the draft of the government’s retraction of the draft law, submitted earlier by State Duma deputy Iryna Yarova.

The Criminal Code is proposed to be supplemented with Article 136.1 “Russophobia”. As it follows from the project, foreign officials and “officials of public international organizations” are planned to be held accountable for it, and the crime itself constitutes “discriminatory actions committed outside the territory of the Russian Federation… against a citizen of the Russian Federation, a person permanently residing in the Russian Federation without citizenship or a compatriot who is not a citizen of the Russian Federation”. Separately, it is proposed to punish for calling for discriminatory actions. What are discriminatory actions – it is not explained, punishment for “Russophobia” committed on the territory of Russia is also not provided.

At the same time, the draft law provides for the extension of the Russian criminal legislation to foreign citizens who do not live permanently in Russia and have committed crimes outside of Russia, and the trial is proposed to be held in the absence of the defendants. It follows from the explanatory note that this is necessary not only for prosecuting foreigners for “Russophobia”, but also for “ensuring protection measures, including against the destruction or damage of military burials, monuments, steles, obelisks and other memorial structures or objects that perpetuate memory those who died in defense of the Fatherland” – that is, it is supposed to judge, for example, foreign officials who will make decisions about the dismantling of Soviet military monuments.

“Taking into account a number of points, the noted government supports the draft law,” the document says.

• In particular, after the Russian large-scale invasion of Ukraine, representatives of the Russian authorities declare the Russophobia that has allegedly engulfed the countries of the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly spoken about the so-called “decline of Russian culture.” Manifestations of Russophobia include the inclusion of certain persons in sanctions lists and various restrictions imposed on citizens of Russia abroad.
• Representatives of Western countries have repeatedly stated that the purpose of the sanctions is to undermine the Kremlin’s capabilities in the war against Ukraine, and not to harm the citizens of Russia as such. Many of them also called for the separation of Russian culture and the politics of the Russian authorities, no ban on Russian culture, which Putin is talking about, is not observed in the West.