Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has enacted a law that permits the confiscation of property in response to certain crimes that compromise the security of the nation. Specifically, the law targets the propagation of false information regarding the Russian military, as reported by Interfax.
It’s important to note that this law was ratified by the State Duma of the Russian Federation on January 31. The law, which is titled “on the confiscation of property for fakes about the Russian armed forces and calls to fight against the state,” outlines a procedure for the seizure of money, valuables, and other forms of property that are connected to the spread of disinformation about the Russian military. This also applies if the assets are used to fund criminal activities or any actions that threaten state security, as per the statement released by RIA Novosti at the time.
Furthermore, the law stipulates the revocation of “honorary titles” as a form of punitive measure.
Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, previously articulated the essence of this bill. He explained it as a necessary measure to penalize individuals, including those in the cultural sphere, who support Nazism and besmirch the reputation of Russia, its soldiers, and officers involved in the SVO. He further elucidated that the law sanctions the confiscation of money, valuables, or other property used or intended to fund criminal activities against the Russian Federation’s security. This confiscation can be implemented by a court ruling, and extends to the revocation of honorary titles for crimes such as spreading false information about the use of the Russian Armed Forces (Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code); making public calls for extremist activities (Article 280 of the Criminal Code); advocating for actions that disrupt the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation (Article 280.1 of the Criminal Code); taking public actions that discredit the use of the Russian Armed Forces (Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code); making public calls for actions that undermine state security (Article 280.4 of the Criminal Code); lobbying for sanctions against the Russian Federation and its citizens (Article 284.2 of the Criminal Code); aiding in the implementation of decisions by international organizations that the Russian Federation isn’t a member of, or foreign government bodies (Article 284.3 of the Criminal Code); and the rehabilitation of Nazism (Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code). “Any individual who seeks to destabilize Russia or betrays it should face appropriate punishment and be obliged to reimburse the damage inflicted on the nation through their property,” stated Volodin.
