Some 10,000 White-Collar Criminals to Qualify for Amnesty

Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(RIA Novosti – NOVO-OGARYOVO, July 9, 2013) ­ Up to 10,000 first-time violators of financial laws should qualify for amnesty, Russia’s chief prosecutor said Tuesday. “A very large number of businesspeople” have been exempted from criminal liability or given milder penalties, or released from custody, as part of the “humanizing” legislation, Prosecutor General Yury Chaika told President Vladimir Putin. It […]

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First businessmen to be released under amnesty in several days

Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(Interfax – MOSCOW. July 3, 2013) Convicts eligible for the economic amnesty, which comes into effect on July 4, will be released in several days because the procedure of releasing convicts under amnesty is held in several stages, spokesperson of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service Kristina Belousova said. “From the day the amnesty comes into effect, head of a correction […]

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Business Amnesty Bill Approved

Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – July 3, 2013) The State Duma on Tuesday passed in the third and final reading the long-awaited economic crimes amnesty bill, which will free several thousand businessmen from the nation’s prisons. But despite the fact that the legislation was supported by all of the Duma parties when it was being prepared, only […]

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Human rights activist Alexeyeva skeptical of declared economical amnesty

Lyudmila Alekseyeva file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 2, 2013) Russia’s oldest human rights activist, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alexeyeva said she criticized the economic amnesty declared by the Russian State Duma on Tuesday. “The obligation to repay damages undercuts this entire amnesty. This is a fly in the ointment,” Alexeyeva told Interfax on Tuesday. “If a person indeed did steal, […]

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Russian regulator proves first case of insider trading

File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 2, 2013) The Federal Financial Markets Service (FFMS) has for the first time proven a case of insider trading on the Russian market, the head of the regulator, Dmitry Pankin said on his official blog. The case concerns transactions with shares in cosmetics firm Kalina (RTS: KLNA) in the fall of 2011, ahead of the announcement […]

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Over 100,000 to Benefit From Economic Amnesty – Ombudsman

Boris Titov file photo

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 26, 2013) ­ A proposed economic amnesty in Russia is expected to release almost 100,000 people from criminal liability, Russia’s business ombudsman Boris Titov said on Wednesday. “Under a previous draft, we counted 13,500 people serving their prison terms on charges covered by the draft amnesty. But we should also not forget about 70,000-80,000 people […]

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Amnesty Plan Could See Thousands Freed

Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Yekaterina Kravtsova – June 24, 2013) Thousands of jailed businessmen are expected to be freed this summer as part of the amnesty plan approved by President Vladimir Putin and set for review by the State Duma by mid-July. The plan, one of business ombudsman Boris Titov’s first and most important initiatives, was met with great […]

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Putin submits business amnesty, drops liberal bombshell in St. Petersburg

Empty Boardroom

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Artem Zagorodnov, RBTH – June 21, 2013) Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined several radically liberal economic reforms. In a move equally symbolic and practically important, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that a much-touted amnesty for businesspeople had been approved by his office and will be […]

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Customs Union Frauds Behind 40% of Russia Capital Flight

File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 20, 2013) Fictitious import contracts with entities from Customs Union member states Belarus and Kazakhstan accounted for 40 percent of Russia’s net capital outflow last year, business daily Vedomosti reported on Thursday citing Central Bank data. About $10 billion could have been laundered through fake imports schemes via Kazakhstan, the Central Bank said in a […]

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Russia Lost $25 Bln in 3 Years in Transfer Scams – Banker

File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, June 19, 2013) Shell companies have illegally funneled 760 billion rubles ($25 billion) from Russia in the past three years, outgoing Central Bank chief Sergei Ignatyev said on Wednesday, Vedomosti business paper reported. Ignatyev who is leaving his post next week after serving three consecutive terms, made the statement in a report to the Russian parliament […]

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United Popular Front supports economic amnesty

Empty Boardroom

(Interfax – June 18, 2013) Russia’s United Popular Front (ONF) supports the idea of economic amnesty. “We support amnesty for businessmen on economic counts,” Alexander Galushka, co-chairman of the ONF’s central staff and co-chairman of the Business Russia organization said at a press conference at Interfax on Tuesday. “The presumption of guilt” for businessmen must be scrapped and this chapter […]

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13,000 people convicted over business-related crimes could be amnestied – official

Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 11, 2013) Around 13,000 people convicted of business-related crimes could be amnestied, Representative of the Russian Presidential Commission for Entrepreneur’s Rights, Andrei Nazarov, said during the discussion in the Civic Chamber. “Those 110,000 people about whom everyone is talking – this is the total number of people convicted for economic crimes. The expected amnesty could be […]

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Putin Boosts Russian Role in Global War on Drugs

Russian Drug Den File Photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – June 6, 2013) In an effort to enhance its image as a global player in combatting drug flows, Moscow welcomed 120 top anti-drug officials from around the world on Wednesday to discuss possibilities for cooperation in curbing an issue responsible for an estimated 200,000 deaths annually. Addressing participants at the International Drug […]

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Kremlin rejects bill on amnesty for economic crimes; Why the Kremlin is not rushing to pardon 100,000 businessmen.

Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Viktor Kuzmin, RBTH – June 3, 2013) Vladimir Putin has rejected a “draft” of the parliamentary bill on amnesty for economic offenses. Authorities fear that genuine crooks and thieves might get out of jail under the pretext of improving the investment climate. When he reassumed the role of president one year ago, one […]

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Putin Says Amnesty Plan for Businessmen Needs Refining

Vladimir Putin file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – May 24, 2013) President Vladimir Putin, who was expected during a meeting with more than a hundred entrepreneurs on Thursday to give a nod to the State Duma to draft an amnesty act freeing thousands of imprisoned business people, said the concept needed more work, Russian television reported Thursday. Putin said at […]

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Moscow Safer Than New York – Minister

Moscow Traffic file photo

(RIA Novosti – NEW YORK, May 21, 2013) Russian police reforms have proved so successful that, in some areas, Moscow outperforms New York on safety, Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev has boasted while on a visit to the United States. Kolokoltsev made the claims during a meeting in New York late on Monday with New York City Police Commissioner Raymond […]

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Moscow News: No more rainbows: anti-gay sentiment rises in Russia

Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Kristen Blyth – May 20, 2013) “Homosexuality is not a perversion. Perversion is hockey on grass and ballet on ice!” reads one picket sign, held aloft by a middle-aged man. “Against all forms of discrimination,” proclaims another, held by a young woman. “My gender is my choice,” says a third. The scene was Moscow Pride. […]

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Countries to Jointly Fight Tax Evasion

File Photo of Man Placing Stack of Large Bills into Inside Pocket of Suitcoat

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Guennadi Moukine – May 20, 2013) Greater cooperation between tax authorities from 45 countries, including more extensive information sharing to help catch evaders, was the result of an international conference in Moscow that was hosted by the Federal Taxation Service and ended on Friday. “The message to tax evaders and those who facilitate tax evasion […]

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Naryshkin wants partial amnesty of people convicted for economic crimes

Russian Duma Building

(Interfax – May 13, 2013) State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin has partially backed the proposal made by business ombudsman Boris Titov on amnesty for economic crimes. “Some citizens convicted for so-called economic crimes can and should be amnestied. Some of those who have committed economic crimes should still serve their sentences,” Naryshkin told reporters in the State Duma on Monday. […]

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Corruption Related Crimes up 25% in Russia – Report

Cropped File Photo of Two Men in Business Suits Shaking Hands and Passing Cash

(RIA Novosti, MOSCOW, April 17, 2013) ­ The number of corruption related crimes recorded in Russia rose by almost 25 percent in 2012, according to a report by the Prosecutor General’s Office submitted to parliament on Wednesday. A total of 49,513 such crimes were registered last year, compared to 40,407 in 2011, Prosecutor General Yury Chaika said. Over 13,500 individuals […]

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Russians split in perception of attack on Bolshoi ballet chief – poll

Bolshoi Theater file photo

(Interfax – MOSCOW. April 6, 2013) Russians are split in their perception of the acid attack on Bolshoi Theater Ballet Art Director Sergei Filin in January and the way it characterizes the situation in the theater, the Levada Center public survey organization found after conducting a poll in 130 communities of 45 regions of Russia in March. The poll showed […]

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Pistols at dawn: Until the police can be trusted, more Russians will want guns

Makarov Handgun file photo

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Konstantin von Eggert – April 2, 2013) “If you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns’ ­ so goes the famous slogan of the National Rifle Association in the US. Until recently, few people thought that this would ever be a contentious issue in Russia. But the case of Alexandra Lotkova, a 21-year-old Moscow student, […]

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Bolshoi Attack Mastermind Denies Ordering Acid Assault

Bolshoi Theater file photo

MOSCOW, March 7 (RIA Novosti) ­ A lawyer for the star Russian ballet dancer who admitted this week to having masterminded an attack on the artistic director of the Bolshoi Theater said in court on Thursday that his client had not ordered acid to be used in the assault. A masked assailant threw concentrated acid into the face of Sergei […]

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Senior MP Admits Adopted Children’s Deaths Almost Never Probed In Russia

File Photo of Russian Orphans with Mr. and Mrs. Dmitry Medvedev

(RIA Novosti – Moscow, February 21, 2013) Up to 300 adopted children die in Russia every year but practically no-one has faced criminal prosecution over these deaths, head of the State Duma Committee on Affairs of Family, Women and Children Yelena Mizulina (representing A Just Russia party) said on Thursday (21 February). “According to the figures available to the committee, […]

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Damage from corruption in Russia exceeded 20 billion rubles in 2012 – Chaika

Hands Opening Envelope Containing Cash

MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) – The fight against corruption intensified in Russia in 2012 and the damage from corruption is estimated at more than 20 billion rubles, Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika said. “We have determined over 49,000 (corruption) encroachments, which is almost one-fourth more than was registered in 2011, and the number of people found to have committed corruption […]

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U.S. to Cooperate With Russia in Child Abuse Probes

File Photo of Vladimir Putin Leaning Towards Barack Hussein Obama With Flags Behind Them

MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) – The United States has expressed its readiness to cooperate with Russia’s Investigative Committee (IC) in legal cases involving violence against Russian children adopted by Americans, committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said on Friday. In the course of a working meeting on Wednesday, Investigative Committee officials handed a letter from IC head Alexander Bastrykin to US […]

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After Attack, Rivalries at Bolshoi Draw Scrutiny

Bolshoi Theater file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Natalya Krainova – February 1, 2013) Ballet may be high art onstage, but last month’s acid attack on Bolshoi Ballet chief Sergei Filin has drawn attention to the fact that it’s a dirty business behind the scenes. Two weeks after an unidentified assailant threw sulfuric acid in Filin’s face outside his apartment building, the attack […]

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Russian-U.S. relations in drug control are on the rise – FSKN

Russian Drug Den File Photo

MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax) – The Russian Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) has announced that relations between Moscow and Washington in combating drugs will be developing despite Russia’s withdrawal from an agreement in law enforcement with the United States. “Today Russian-American relations in the sphere of drug control are on the rise and continue advancing,” Interfax was told at the […]

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Authorities against legalization of handguns

Makarov Handgun file photo

(Interfax – January 26, 2013) The Russian government did not support the Liberal-Democratic Party’s (LDPR) idea to legalize the use of some types of short-barreled firearms for self-defense purposes. “Free circulation of rifled handguns would have a negative effect on public security in the country, would significantly complicate the law and order, and would cause growth in the number of […]

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As New Ban Looms, Gays in Russia Face Uphill Battle

Map of Russia

MOSCOW, January 24 (Dan Peleschuk, RIA Novosti) ­ Pavel Samburov exudes confidence when he recalls the night in October, on International Coming Out Day, when a group of masked hoodlums stormed and ransacked a Moscow gay club. “They worked as a team,” Samburov says nonchalantly, taking a drag from a cigarette, then snuffing it out. “It was an organized attack.” […]

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Migrant crime rates not growing in Russia – Federal Migration Service

Russian Jail File Photo Showing Outer Wall, Windows, Barbed Wire

MOSCOW. Jan 21 (Interfax) – The majority of foreign migrants arriving in Russia come from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Ukraine. There is no growth of migrant crime rates, Federal Migration Service head Konstantin Romodanovsky told Interfax. “Only 3.4% of solved crimes are committed by migrants. Most frequently migrants are charged with document forgery,” he said. Migrant arrivals in Russia have grown […]

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Russian gun control on the firing line; Recent incidents of gun violence have heated up debates about weapons control in Russia

Makarov Handgun file photo

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Kristen Blyth – January 21, 2013) In the early hours of November 7, 2012, 30-year-old lawyer Dmitry Vinogradov posted a message on his VKontakte profile. “I hate human society, and I am disgusted to be a part of it,” he wrote. “I see only one way to justify it: to destroy as many particles of […]

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Domestic violence in Russia: till death do them part; Following a high-profile murder, experts once again say that new legislation is needed

Kremlin and St. Basil's

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Natalia Antonova – January 21, 2013) “The breaking point came when he stuffed my head into a toilet bowl and tried to make me drink the water,” Daria, a petite brunette in her mid-30s, told The Moscow News. “He claimed that something I had said to him made him feel humiliated ­ and he had […]

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Brutal Murder Highlights Russia’s Domestic Violence Problem

Map of Russia

MOSCOW, January 16 (RIA Novosti) ­ A popular Russian proverb about male-female relationships says, roughly, “if he beats you, it means he loves you.” But, in the wake of a Moscow journalist’s gruesome murder by her husband, advocates of a more enlightened approach to domestic violence said on Tuesday that Russia needs a major attitude change, better laws and data […]

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It’s a jungle out there

File Photo of Moscow Apartment Building

(Moscow News – themoscownews.com – Kristen Blyth – January 14, 2013) When asked how she became qualified to work as a real estate agent, Emma became defensive. “I don’t want to tell you,” she told The Moscow News. “I’m a realtor now, and that’s all you need to know.” Emma was the broker that Elliott Estebo, an expat English teacher, […]

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Moscow Cossack Patrol Unsanctioned -­ Officials

Kremlin and Moscow Environs Aerial View

MOSCOW, November 27 (RIA Novosti) ­ Self-proclaimed Cossacks who began patrolling central Moscow on Tuesday were not authorized to do so, despite claiming otherwise, the district administration said. A group of people styling themselves Cossacks patrolled a downtown square by the capital’s Belorussky train station on Tuesday, reports said. Eight men in furry hats and striped trousers, outnumbered five to […]

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Russian Human Rights NGO Offices Vandalized

Map of Russia

MOSCOW, November 21 (Dan Peleschuk, RIA Novosti) ­ The Moscow headquarters of two influential human rights groups were vandalized on Wednesday, the first day a controversial new law on non-governmental organizations (NGO) took effect. The entrances to the offices of Memorial and For Human Rights, two prominent civil rights groups headed by veteran activists, were spray-painted with the words “Foreign […]

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