Head of Russian State Duma proposes adopting 'law about scoundrels'

MOSCOW

The head of State Duma, the lower chamber of Russian parliament, proposed on Friday to draft a law on citizens who left Russia, and criticize the country and its policies.

In a post on Telegram, titled "a law about scoundrels," Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin wrote that he has been observing recently how some Russian citizens, living abroad, "consider it possible to insult Russia, its residents, soldiers and officers, openly support villains, Nazis and murderers."

"According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, such statements can be regarded as calls to extremism, rehabilitation of Nazism or discrediting of the Armed Forces. To establish the composition of the crime is the task of the investigation," he said.

Volodin added that the "scoundrels" have no financial problems, living abroad thanks to money they continue earning in Russia, but continue to publicly "pour dirt" on Russia, insult its soldiers and officers.

"They feel their impunity, believing that justice cannot reach them (abroad)," he stressed, adding that in this situation, it will be right to add to the criminal code an article about confiscation of Russian property of such people.

Commenting on the initiative, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged to be careful.

"This is a very complex topic, of course, it is relevant in our time, but we shouldn't, let's say, to open some Pandora's box. Enemies are enemies, we must fight them, but everyone else -- they are our citizens, and they must remain our citizens," he said in an interview with Life TV channel.

Peskov stressed that people had different reasons for leaving Russia, and authorities have to create conditions so that citizens who are not "enemies of their country," want to return.

"They are all our citizens, in an equal degree, and all could have had different reasons to leave. But those who have not fallen into the path of a truly hostile attitude towards our country are our citizens, for whom we have to fight," he emphasized.

Peskov's former wife Yekaterina Solotsinskaya and their three children moved to France after the couple divorced.