MOSCOW, February 19, 2004. (RIA Novosti) - The State Duma (lower house) may adopt amendments, March 3, to the Criminal Code to toughen punishment for terrorism. This is the opinion Chairman of the Duma legislation committee Pavel Krasheninnikov expressed on Thursday.
According to him, the amendments the State Duma adopted in the first reading might be considered on March 3 in the second and third readings.
Krasheninnikov said that the draft law is being considered in the State Duma in an accelerated mode: in view of the draft law's particular importance, legislators left only ten days for amendments instead of the normal 30 days' period.
Krasheninnikov did not rule it out that as soon as the term for the amendments expires (on February 28), the committee will gather for an emergency session to consider draft amendments to the Criminal Code.
The draft law, in particular, envisages an 8-20 years' sentence up to life sentence for terrorism depending on the gravity of the crime.
