State Duma outlaws ICC in Russia, passes new law prescribing life sentence for treason

Russia’s State Duma has passed in the second and third readings a set of Criminal Code amendments that will make high treason punishable by life in prison, TASS reports. Until now, the law capped treason sentences at 20 years.

The amendments also usher in more severe penalties for terrorism. Carrying out a terrorist act will now be punishable by up to 20 years in prison, as opposed to a maximal sentence of 15 years under the current legislation. Penalties for organizing terrorist groups, recruiting prospective terrorists, and complicity in terrorist acts will also increase. Sabotage will be punishable by up to 20 years in prison, as opposed to 15 under current law.

The Criminal Code is also being expanded with a new felony article, namely “Aiding the execution of the decisions of international organizations,” applicable to organizations that don’t include Russia as a member. The crime of aiding organizations like the International Criminal Court will be punishable by fines of up to a million rubles (around $12,000) or up to five years in prison.

Earlier, the State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, one of the authors of the latter amendment, said the government was developing new legislation to outlaw the ICC and other international organizations working “against Russia and its citizens.”