Volodin proposed to leave the property of critics of the war who had left the Russian Federation

The head of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, proposed to leave the property of Russian citizens who had left the country and were convicted under articles of the Criminal Code related to criticism of the war in Ukraine. An influential member of the Federation Council, Andrey Klyshas, ​​who is often a co-author of legislative initiatives supported by the Kremlin, agreed with Volodyna’s proposal.

The statements of high-ranking officials were made against the background of a discussion of the anti-war statements of a number of famous Russians currently living abroad, including actor Artur Smolyaninov and musician Boris Grebenshchikov.

As Volodin wrote in a telegram, “Recently, some of our fellow citizens consider it possible to insult Russia, its inhabitants, soldiers and officers, openly support thieves, Nazis and murderers.” His post does not directly mention the war in Ukraine, but the context makes it clear what he is talking about.

As Volodin writes, “such statements can be regarded as calls for extremism, rehabilitation of Nazism or discrediting of the Armed Forces.” At the same time, the head of the Duma complained that their authors “being abroad, rent out real estate, continue to receive royalties at the expense of Russian citizens.” Volodin proposed “to supplement the relevant articles of the Criminal Code with a clause on the confiscation of property of scoundrels.”

As TASS reports, Andrey Klyshas, ​​head of the Committee of the Federation Council on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, said that “such an approach is possible” provided that “corresponding amendments are made to the Criminal Code.” According to Klyshas, ​​”formulations of the composition of the criminal offense are necessary” – that is, it is not just about adding the confiscation of property to the existing articles, but also about introducing some new composition of the crime related to the statements into the code.

At the same time, earlier, when Klyshas’s colleague in the Federation Council, Sergey Tsekov, proposed confiscating property from Russians who left after the start of the war abroad and criticized the so-called special operation, Klyshas criticized his proposal: “It is unconstitutional, which is why we will not implement it,” he wrote.

• According to estimates, after the start of the war, and especially after the start of mobilization, several hundred thousand people left Russia.
• Earlier, the same Volodin proposed, in particular, to apply a higher tax rate to employees working remotely in Russian companies. This idea was not supported by the Ministry of Statistics. Volodin also proposed to confiscate cars that were left on the border of Russia by fleeing Russians and give them to the families of those participating in the military invasion of Ukraine.
• In the State Duma and the Federation Council, there were also proposals to deny citizenship to Russians who oppose the war, and the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, wrote the other day that “the discussion has resumed on how to deal with traitors who defected to the enemy and wish for the death of their Fatherland”, and hinted that, from his point of view, they should be killed.