Desecration of military cemeteries in Russia now carries a penalty
Russia Enacts Tougher Penalties for Desecration of Military Memorials
Russia has strengthened its laws to protect the memory of fallen soldiers and preserve historical truth about wars, particularly the Great Patriotic War (WWII). President Vladimir Putin signed the new law on July 23rd, 2021.
The law criminalizes the desecration, destruction, or damage of military gravesites, monuments, steles, obelisks, and other memorial objects that commemorate those who died defending the Fatherland or its interests, or are dedicated to Russia’s military glory days. This is codified in a new Article 243.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
The law applies not only within Russia but also to such acts committed abroad, meaning offenders can be held criminally liable regardless of the location of the desecration, including foreign states and former Allied countries from World War II.
The maximum punishment under this law is up to five years of imprisonment. This represents a tightening of criminal liability prompted by over 370 recorded cases since early 2022 involving desecration of military graves and memorials within Russia.
However, the new law does not specify whether desecration of memorials dedicated to fallen defenders of other countries is also considered a criminal offense in Russia. Additionally, it does not clarify whether desecration of memorials dedicated to fallen defenders of Russia, but not specifically to the homeland, is also considered a criminal offense.
The statement does not detail how the punishment will be enforced, such as by whom and in what jurisdictions. Furthermore, the new law does not clarify whether the punishment for desecration applies to online or digital forms of desecration, such as vandalism on websites or social media.
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin made the statement about the punishment's application.
[1] [Link to the original statement] [3] [Link to the Russian government's announcement of the law] [5] [Link to an analysis of the law's implications]
- This new policy-and-legislation, signed by President Vladimir Putin, impacts the politics surrounding World War II memorials in Russia, as it addresses the desecration, destruction, or damage of such sites, now punishable by up to five years of imprisonment.
- The general-news about tightened penalties for desecration of military memorials in Russia has also sparked discussions about the law's applicability to memorials dedicated to fallen defenders of other countries, as well as to digital forms of desecration on the internet.
