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Putin Urges Parliament to Pardon White-Collar Criminals

© RIA Novosti . Alexey Danichev / Go to the mediabankVladimir Putin urged the lower house of parliament to pass a bill pardoning first-time violators of financial laws
Vladimir Putin urged the lower house of parliament to pass a bill pardoning first-time violators of financial laws - Sputnik International
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday urged the lower house of parliament to pass a bill pardoning first-time violators of financial laws before the legislature goes on summer vacation.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 21 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday urged the lower house of parliament to pass a bill pardoning first-time violators of financial laws before the legislature goes on summer vacation.

The amnesty would apply only to those offenders who have already “compensated for the damage they have caused or agree to provide compensation,” Putin told the State Duma, adding that the bill would “restore justice” and strengthen “entrepreneurial initiative.”

Russia’s business ombudsman, Boris Titov, told RIA Novosti that the amnesty would “send a signal to law enforcement agencies” to stop harassing businesses.

Police pressure businesses because they think that “a businessman is a thief, that he has stolen something from the country,” Titov said. But the ombudsman cited the president as saying that businesspeople “should work, not sit in jail.”

According to initial estimates by Titov’s office, there are 110,000 jailed businesspeople in Russia who qualify for the pardon.

Senior lawmakers said the Duma was ready to pass the bill as soon as possible. The legislature goes on summer vacation on July 14. Its last plenary session is on July 5.

(Updates with Putin quote, Titov remarks, Duma reaction)

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