Authors

Nataliya Smirnova¹;  ¹ OVD Info, Russian Federation

Discussion

The range of criminal articles applied in connection with protests in Russia has been expanding, while the impact of criminal prosecution is increasing. These trends are based on the activities of the legislative authorities, which adjust criminal prosecution to serve as a tool against protests.
Firstly, new criminal articles are being created, while the boundaries of existing ones are being expanded, which makes them more convenient for law enforcement officers. Secondly, possible sanctions are increasing. Thirdly, new kinds of pressure accompanying the initiation of a criminal case are being introduced, such as new types of pre-trial restrictions imposed on suspects or limitations on political activity due to a criminal record. Finally, the introduction of amendments and even their discussion at the stage of consideration in Parliament promotes a prohibitive discourse.
The report focuses on the features of the legislative process that allow the creation of new tools for criminal prosecution of protesters: accelerated consideration of the draft law, shortened discussion in the State Duma, and the introduction of key amendments at late stages of consideration. The high speed and non-transparency of the legislative process limit the possibility of taking expert opinion into account and prevent public influence.