last updated June 10, 2004

Russian Federation Updates its Criminal Code to Enhance Protections against Trafficking in Persons

Effective December 13, 2003, the changes to the Russian Criminal Code prohibit trafficking and providing greater protections for victims. The changes define trafficking as, “the buying-selling of a person or other actions committed for the purpose of such person’s exploitation in the form of recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of such person.” Offenders are imprisoned for up to five years; however, they can be imprisoned for up to fifteen years if any of a number of aggravating circumstances occurs, such as trafficking multiple persons, minors, or if the victim dies as a result of the offender’s negligence. Before this legislation was enacted, trafficking offenders were most commonly prosecuted under existing rape, slavery, and false documentation laws.