MOSCOW. Feb 13 (Interfax) - The majority of those convicted of corruption in Russia receive suspended prison sentences, the prosecutor general said. "The most widespread form of punishment for corruption are suspended prison sentences. Last year, this penalty was administered for 54.3% of those convicted of crimes of that category," Yury Chaika told Prokuror (Prosecutor) magazine.
Those who get suspended terms "are mostly petty bribe takers - low-tier officials, employees of various registration and audit agencies, educational and medical institutions, and agricultural and commercial enterprises," he said.
"Real imprisonment was administered by courts for 14.7% of convicts, usually for serious and particularly serious crimes, such as accepting a large or particularly large bribe, fraud with the use of one's official position, and so on," Chaika said.
He mentioned a 2011 law that prescribes fines for bribery that are several times the size of a bribe that has been paid. The law had been proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev.
"As a result, persons who are sentenced to fines are gradually increasing in number. And that is also quite an effective punishment for bribe takers. It can curb their appetite and, I think, deprive them of any desire to take bribes. In my view, unavoidability of punishment is more important than its harshness," the prosecutor said.
Keywords: Russia, Corruption - Russia News - Russia
MOSCOW. Feb 13 (Interfax) - The majority of those convicted of corruption in Russia receive suspended prison sentences, the prosecutor general said.
"The most widespread form of punishment for corruption are suspended prison sentences. Last year, this penalty was administered for 54.3% of those convicted of crimes of that category," Yury Chaika told Prokuror (Prosecutor) magazine.
Those who get suspended terms "are mostly petty bribe takers - low-tier officials, employees of various registration and audit agencies, educational and medical institutions, and agricultural and commercial enterprises," he said.
"Real imprisonment was administered by courts for 14.7% of convicts, usually for serious and particularly serious crimes, such as accepting a large or particularly large bribe, fraud with the use of one's official position, and so on," Chaika said.
He mentioned a 2011 law that prescribes fines for bribery that are several times the size of a bribe that has been paid. The law had been proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev.
"As a result, persons who are sentenced to fines are gradually increasing in number. And that is also quite an effective punishment for bribe takers. It can curb their appetite and, I think, deprive them of any desire to take bribes. In my view, unavoidability of punishment is more important than its harshness," the prosecutor said.