Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has submitted to parliament amendments to the country's Criminal Code which would reduce punishments for minor offenses, the Kremlin said Tuesday.
The amendments would give judges more leeway in their decisions and allow them to fine those guilty of minor crimes, rather than jailing them or sentencing them to community work.
Earlier on Tuesday, Medvedev told Russia's parliament said that judges should not perceive the maximum possible punishment for crimes as the only option.
In his last year's address to the Federal Assembly, the president called for a wider use of fines as punishment for crimes not related to violence.
In April, Medvedev signed into law amendments to legislation on economic crimes intended to increase the use of bail for suspects awaiting trial and halt the abuse of the system, where officials attempt to pressure suspects by keeping them in pretrial detention for extended periods.
Medvedev, who portrays himself as a young and technologically savvy leader, is seeking to improve the economic environment in the country and create incentives for domestic businesses to switch to a knowledge-based and innovative economy.
MOSCOW, November 30 (RIA Novosti)
