Punishment for engaging children in "dangerous public activities" may be toughened in Russia, according to a draft bill published by the Justice Ministry on October 24.
The draft is proposing to establish responsibility for "engaging children in public activities that impose danger to their health and lives as well as to the lives and health of other individuals."
The Criminal Code currently envisions punishment for "engaging children into public activities that impose danger to their health and lives."
The draft bill also proposes the removal of a sentence from an article saying that only individuals of 18 years of age and older can be prosecuted for a crime, opening the door to prosecuting people under 18 for engaging children in "dangerous public activities."
The article envisions punishment of up to six years in prison.
The proposal comes amid reports about larger numbers of teenagers taking part in antigovernment protests across Russia since 2017.
