Download Russian Federation – current law situation

National Center for the
Prevention of Violence ANNA
Russian Federation – current
law situation
Marina Pisklakova
Sofia, February 12-14, 2008
Russian Federation – current law situation





Violence against women, particularly domestic violence, is not
recognized by the Russian Criminal Code as a separate offense. The
only applicable criminal procedures are the criminal law articles on
bodily injuries or other crimes. Thus, acts of violence against women in
the family, like any violent crime against a person, are punishable
under Part VII of the Russian Criminal Code (crimes against the
person). So the cases of violence against women in the family may be
prosecuted under the following Articles:
Article 112 (intentional causing of average gravity harm to health);
Article 115 (intentional causing of minor harm to health);
Article 116 (beating);
Article 119 (threat of homicide or of causing grave harm to health) (23)
Article 117 (torture, the causing of physical or mental suffering by
means of the systematic infliction of beatings or other forcible actions)
Russian Federation – current law situation
Timeline of development:
 First Draft of DV law of 1995
 Developing a new strategy – focusing on strengthening
NGO network, training and awareness raising, building
strategic alliances
 National Educational Campaign “There is No Excuse for
Domestic violence” – next steps for ANNA National
Network against violence as a part of the National strategy
 National working group on analysis on existing legislation
and developing recommendations for the new law
Russian Federation – current law situation
Some promising pilot initiatives at a regional level to
combat domestic violence:
 - In 2005 the regional law on Social and Legal Protection
and Rehabilitation of Citizens Suffered from Violence in a
Family was passed by Arkhangelsk Regional Duma;
 - Ministry of the Interior in Karelia undertook measures to
strengthen the crime prevention work of the police
department for public safety. The police received training
on domestic violence against women; local police officers
were encouraged to work more with female victims of
violence in the family.
Russian Federation – current law situation
Some promising pilot initiatives at a regional level to combat domestic
violence: I
 In 2006 In Yaroslavl, the local Duma passed the addendum to the
existing regional legislation on Social Services for Citizens of Yaroslavl
Region. The addendum is focused on the new measures for social and
legal protection for the victims of family violence:
 The only treatment program for offenders is carried out now in the
Nizhniy Novgorod region by the state-run Center for Social and
Psychological Assistance for Families. They counsel perpetrators who
abuse their wives or partners, children or elderly mothers, and are
under administrative arrest performed by the police under the
provisions of the Administrative Code. The Center for Social and
Psychological Assistance for Families has implemented this program
on the basis of a contract on interagency cooperation with the
Department of the Interior of the City of Nizhniy Novgorod.
Russian Federation – current law situation
Lessons learned:
 Importance of raising awareness and
visibility of domestic violence against
women as a human rights violation
 Building strategic alliances
 International treaties instruments (CEDAW,
Optional Protocol, UN Special Rapportuer
on violence against women)