Putin signs law decriminalizing domestic violence in Russia
On Tuesday, 7 February, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, signed a law that decriminalizes domestic violence. The Federal law "on amendments to Article 116 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation" excludes criminal responsibility for "beatings or other violent acts causing physical pain, but without causing damage to health against family members," the website of the Administration of the Russian President says. Beatings of persons (spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and also adopters, guardians, and adopted children) will be administrative offences which are punishable by a fine of 5,000 (84 USD) to 30,000 ruble (506 USD), imprisonment of 5 to 15 days or correctional works. But if abusers have already been held accountable for beatings, they can be charged with a crime.
The law was adopted by the State Duma on 27 January 2017 and approved by the Federation Council on 1 February 2017.