The head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, stated in an interview with TASS that since the introduction of articles on military 'fakes' and 'discrediting' the Russian army, 615 criminal cases have been initiated.
For spreading military 'fakes', 444 criminal cases have been initiated, 141 of them last year. 244 cases have been sent to court against 252 individuals, including 97 cases against 103 people in 2024.
Bastrykin also reported that the Investigative Committee has initiated 171 criminal cases under the article on 'discrediting', 72 of them in 2024. 108 cases have already been sent to court against 113 people, including 53 cases in 2024.
A journalist from a propaganda agency asked Bastrykin: 'Isn't it time to consider bringing back the death penalty at least in the territories where the special military operation or counter-terrorist operations are conducted?'
To which Bastrykin stated that the issue 'can be revisited', as Russia ceased to be a participant in the European Convention on Human Rights in 2022.
'The question of where the death penalty could be applied is quite complex, as the Criminal Code applies to the entire country's territory. The logic of applying the death penalty in the territories you mentioned or in places where counter-terrorist operations are conducted is based on the high public danger of crimes committed by Ukrainian militants and other individuals,' said the head of the Investigative Committee.