A bill to confiscate property and valuables from Ukraine war critics convicted of, among other crimes, “discrediting the Russian army” or calling for foreign sanctions has been drawn up by the Kremlin.
The draft legislation to the criminal code was registered in Russia’s State Duma on Monday, where it has been backed by the main political parties and appears likely to pass into law.
The bill aims to allow the government to seize money and property used or intended to finance illegal activity or that which is believed to threaten national security, as determined by a court order.
It would also allow law enforcement to seize honorariums received by journalists or researchers convicted of writing “fake information” about the invasion of Ukraine, or to seize other, more valuable property including cars or flats as a substitute, lawyers said.
The government made little secret that it was targeting anti-war Russians with the new laws, which were announced late last week. Since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the government has passed a series of laws to punish those who criticise the war or spread information about Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
It was “necessary to punish scoundrels, including cultural figures, who support Nazis, pour dirt on our country, soldiers and officers involved in the [war]”, said Vyacheslav Volodin, the chair of the State Duma.
“Anyone who tries to destroy Russia, betrays it, must be punished as they deserve and compensate the damage caused to the country at the expense of their property.”
Russians would have their property confiscated if found guilty of spreading false information about the army, discrediting the army, calling for sanctions against Russia, calls to extremism or nazism, or acts considered to threaten state security.
Those who “assist in the execution of decisions of international organisations that do not include Russia”, for instance the international criminal court arrest warrant for Putin, would also be targeted under the law.
Legal experts have warned the law would make it easier for the government to punish anti-war Russians, many of whom have fled the country. “The proposed amendments are mainly aimed at combating the ‘internal enemy’ – opponents of the war, who spread their opinions and try to convince others,” said Maria Nemova, a lawyer for the Memorial human rights group.
Evgeny Smirnov, the head of the independent legal firm First Department, said the bill would give Russian law enforcement agencies a “new tool to put pressure on those who disagree with the policy of the Russian authorities”.
He added: “By court decision, it will be possible to confiscate any property of a convicted person corresponding to the value of the property to be confiscated. This means the risks of deprivation of apartments/cars and other property acquired before the commission of the crime.”
The law will also allow Russian courts to strip public awards from those who speak out against the war and then face trial for discrediting the army or spreading “false information” about the conflict.
