Putin signs law increasing punishment for false bomb threats
President Vladimir Putin has signed a law to increase the maximum punishment for telephone terrorism from five to ten years in prison. The document signed by the president has been published on the official Internet portal for legal information.
The law was earlier adopted by the State Duma and the Federation Council. The amendments were prepared together with law enforcement agencies, and aimed at combating terrorism, said United Russia MP Vasily Piskarev, RBC news agency reports. The amendments were made to Article 207 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("a knowingly false report on an act of terrorism").
The maximum punishment under this article will now be ten years, if a false call and subsequent evacuation leads to the death of persons or other serious consequences.
In addition, telephone terrorism will provide for a penalty fine of 200,000 to 500,000 rubles ($3468 - $8670 USD). In the event that a bomb is found in a school, hospital, airport and/or other social infrastructure facility, the telephone terrorist's fine will increase to 700,000 rubles ($12,138 USD). If the individual placed a bomb in such facilities, he or she may face imprisonment for a period of three to five years.
A more stringent punishment awaits telephone terrorists who leave false bomb threat reports with a view to destabilize government activities: a fine of up to 1 million rubles ($17,340 USD), or six to eight years in prison.
In early December, Putin signed a new version of the law "On Communications", which allows law enforcement to block the phone numbers of telephone terrorists through the pre-trial process.