The Russian parliament, the State Duma, has voted to remove the charge of domestic violence from Russia's criminal code.
The bill was adopted almost unanimously on its third reading, with 380 deputies voting in favor of the legislation. Just three lawmakers voted against the bill.
The bill would downgrade the charge of "battery within families" — assaults which don't result in "substantial bodily harm" — to an administrative offense. Those found guilty will still be charged with a fine, but further criminal charges will only be brought against offenders if beatings take place more than once a year.
The law's advocates claim that including "battery within families" as a criminal offense could see parents punished for discipling their children.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov is among the politicians to defend the law, telling journalists that family conflicts do "not necessarily constitute domestic violence." He also dismissed “calls to punish various expressions of family relationships” as unreasonable.
According to Russian government statistics, 40 percent of all violent crimes are committed within the family. The figures correlate with 36,000 women being beaten by their partners every day, and 26,000 children being assaulted by their parents every year.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
