LDPR demands bringing terrorists' relatives to material liability

Today, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, vice-speaker of the Russian State Duma from the faction of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and the group of MPs from this party brought into the State Duma draft amendments to the law "On Counteracting Terrorism", suggesting to impose legislative responsibility for the damage caused by terror acts on terrorists' family members who live together with them.

The liberal-democrats believe that militant's family members, while knowing in advance about their possible attraction to liability, will be able to "positively influence" the terrorist and urge him or her to give up any terrorist intentions.

Besides, the MPs from the LDPR suggest to impose the civil-legal responsibility for the damage caused by a terror act on those members of terrorist's family, who do not live together with him, but own joint property with the terrorist. "The terrorist and his or her family should know in advance that even in case of terrorist's death in the course of the terror act the members of his or her family will be brought to responsibility," runs the explanatory note to the bill.

As reported by the "Interfax", should the amendments be passed by the State Duma, supported by the Council of Federation and approved by the President of the Russian Federation, they will come into force one month later.

In the opinion of the authors of the amendments, "recent terror acts have shown that terrorist organizations possess significant potentials; and without strictest measures stopping their actions is practically impossible." They assert that the amendments to the antiterrorist legislation should contribute to reduction of the count of terror acts in Russia.