- Title: Russian parliament backs draft law easing penalty for domestic violence
- Date: 25th January 2017
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JANUARY 25, 2017) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN STATE DUMA (PARLIAMENT) BUILDING FLAG ON TOP OF BUILDING VARIOUS OF PARLIAMENT SESSION IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PARLIAMENT MEMBER, UNITED RUSSIA PARTY, OLGA BATALINA, SAYING: "Domestic tyrants prone to persistent violent and abusive behaviour should be subject to criminal penalties. In case when battery happened during a situational emotional conflict, when people did not mean to seriously harm each other, when there is no persecution of one person by another - in this case administrative responsibility is acceptable." PARLIAMENT MEMBERS LISTENING SCREEN SHOWING RESULT OF VOTING WITH 385 VOICES IN FAVOUR OF AMENDMENT BATALINA TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PARLIAMENT MEMBER, UNITED RUSSIA PARTY, OLGA BATALINA, SAYING: "For us it is extremely important to save and protect family as an institution. The Russian Federation's legislation contains the principle of the presumption of parents' innocence. This principle is not shared by many Western countries. We believe that a parent who is first of all driven by good intentions towards a child, aims for the best for his or her child. When reviewing (a parent's) actions in any situation including a conflict one we come from the (assumption) that a person was driven by the best intentions. " STATE DUMA BUILDING POLICE TALKING TO PROTESTERS POSTER HELD BY PROTESTER, READING (Russian) 'HITTING WIFE - 5,000 ROUBLES, BEATING A CHILD - 7,000 ROUBLES, FAMILY VALUES - PRICELESS THANKS TO A LAW EASING PENALTIES FOR BATTERY ' (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PROTESTER, ALEXANDRA VOSKRESENSKAYA, SAYING: "We are against the legislators' initiative to de-criminalise violence against family members. We do not agree with these amendments and we hope to attract public attention and to influence our legislators." ACTIVIST HOLDING POSTER (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PROTESTER AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST, ALYONA POPOVA, SAYING: "To de-criminalise battery when we have so many victims and to say that it is now allowed in our country to beat someone and to pay a fine of 5,000-30,000 roubles and to refer to the fact that these articles of the criminal code do not work anyway, so let make them work by introducing fines - I find it unethical, impossible, neither my soul nor my ethics or my logic accept it." PLACARD WITH RUSSIAN PROVERB READING (Russian) 'BEAT A WOMAN WITH HAMMER SHE'LL BE AS GOOD AS GOLD' (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PROTESTER AND ACTIVIST, ALYONA POPOVA, SAYING: "I believe that the State Duma makes a catastrophic mistake because even before (the adoption of the new legislation) victims did not go to police, even before they were told 'he beats you it means he loves you' and 'it is your fault', or 'do not wash your dirty linen in public'. From now on (with the new law) the victim will be the one to blame for everything and the abuser will get support. Even if statistics (on domestic violence cases) shows its decrease, it would mean that victims went silent again." RUSSIAN COAT OF ARMS OVER ENTRANCE TO PARLIAMENT
- Embargoed: 8th February 2017 10:57
- Keywords: Russia domestic violence Duma parliament
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00160KWI87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Russian parliament on Wednesday (January 25) gave its overwhelming backing to a draft law that would ease some penalties for domestic violence, alarming women's rights campaigners who fear it will encourage abuse.
The law, which the State Duma or the lower house of parliament, passed in its second of three readings by 385 votes to two, would reduce battery of a relative to a civil offence instead of a criminal offence in first instances, when the victim suffered no serious harm.
Those who support the proposed change, including members of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, say they want to protect parents' right to discipline their children and to reduce the state's ability to meddle in family life.
"For us it is extremely important to save and protect family as an institution. The Russian Federation's legislation contains the principle of the the presumption of parents' innocence. This principle is not shared by many Western countries. We believe that a parent who is first of all driven by good intentions towards a child, aims for the best for his or her child. When reviewing (a parent's) actions in any situation including a conflict one we come from the (assumption) that a person was driven by the best intentions," said MP from the United Russia Party Olga Batalina.
Supporters of the amendment say anyone who inflicts serious physical harm will still be criminally liable.
"Domestic tyrants prone to persistent violent and abusive behaviour should be subject to criminal penalties," Batalina added.
But women's rights campaigners say it is a retrograde step.
"We are against the legislators' initiative to de-criminalise violence against family members. We do not agree with these amendments and we hope to attract public attention and to influence our legislators," said Alexandra Voskresenskaya, who came to the Duma building to protest the adoption of the legislation.
Another protester Alyona Popova called the State Duma decision "a catastrophic mistake" and said: From now on (with the new law) the victim will be the one to blame for everything and the abuser will get support. Even if statistics (on domestic violence cases) shows its decrease, it would mean that victims went silent again."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call it was important to distinguish between "family relations" and repeated instances of violence.
To become law, the draft must go through a further reading and win approval from the upper house of parliament.
Each year, about 14,000 women die in Russia at the hands of husbands or other relatives, according to a 2010 United Nations report. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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