"United Russia" hopes to reduce the prison population by expelling pickers

Alexander Bolomatov, Partner of the Law Firm "YUST", commented for the Vedomosti newspaper on the draft law moved by a group of the United Russia deputies headed by Irina Yarovaya. The draft law raises the upper plank of the administrative liability for theft to 5000 roubles from the current 1000 roubles. Criminal liability arises, when said amount is exceeded, or if a repeat offence for an amount over 1000 roubles is committed within one year.

The initiative is aimed at reducing the number of people who go to prison for a piece of butter and at de-criminalizing punishments – Alexander Bolomatov believes that prison should be the punishment for misdemeanors: “It is an insurance against the notorious situations involving old ladies. Why pressure people and overcrowd prisons? The amount of the damage must be tied to the minimum salary – our inflation is too high, and makes us re-write laws every year”.

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