Lawmakers in the State Duma voted 377-0 to approve the new bill in its third reading on January 31, according to the Russian parliament's website.
"The overwhelming majority saw the need to punish traitors who, while living abroad, defamed our country, soldiers and officers who participated in the "special military operation," State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said after the vote.
"The decision we have made will allow us to strip these scoundrels of their titles, as well as confiscate their property, money and other belongings," Volodin added.
The bill will now go to the Russian upper house of parliament, where it will need to be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. The new legislation will also apply to hundreds of thousands of Russians who have left the country since the operation began.
The asset seizure is an additional measure to the existing penalties. Shortly after Russia launched its operation in Ukraine, the Russian government passed a law imposing up to 15 years in prison for those who “discredit” or spread “false information” about the Russian armed forces.
Source
Comment (0)