MOSCOW, April 17 (RAPSI) – A Duma committee has proposed that cases of terrorism, hostage taking, aircraft hijacking, armed revolts and coups, as well as incitement and justification of terrorism can only be heard at the Moscow and the North Caucasus (Rostov-on-Don) district military tribunals, Izvestia newspaper writes on Thursday.

The State Duma Committee on Security recommended that the lower house of parliament adopt the relevant amendment to the Criminal Code during the second hearing of bills on counterterrorism.

If this amendment is adopted, terrorism cases will not be heard at republican, territorial, regional, city or district courts.

According to the amendment, these cases would be heard by only three federal judges in either of the two military tribunals. The amendments do not stipulate a trial by jury.
Under the current wording of the Criminal Code, juries cannot hear cases under Article 205 (Terrorist Attack), but they can hear other terrorism-related cases, such as complicity in an act of terrorism or membership in a terrorist group.

Izvestia has been told by the secretariat of the State Duma Security Committee that the bill is designed to preclude a trial by jury in terrorism cases. The crimes of terrorism are especially dangerous crimes, and there have been cases where juries have absolved defendants under duress.