MOSCOW, April 16 - RAPSI. The authors of the anti-blasphemy law have decided against proposing a new article for the Criminal Code in time for the bill's second reading and instead suggest amending the existing article, a co-author of the bill said on Monday.

The bill proposes punishing blasphemy during public prayers and other liturgical ceremonies with fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($9,580), or up to 200 hours of compulsory community service, or up to three years of imprisonment.

It was argued during the debates that the bill's provisions contradict existing legislation.

"We suggest withdrawing the provision on adding a new article to the Criminal Code before the second reading. Instead, we suggest changing the title of Article 148 and the list of crimes it states," bill co-author Yaroslav Nilov (LDPR), chairman of the State Duma Committee on Public Associations and Religious Organizations, said at Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin's meeting with non-parliamentary parties.

Nilov said the article should also stipulate punishment for public actions which cause religious offence.

Naryshkin argued that the rules should be the same for everyone in a society which consists of believers and non-believers. "People have never agreed and will never agree on issues of faith and religion, but the desecration of holy places and religious objects has always been severely punished because these actions can provoke acute social conflicts and even wars. Disregard for believers feelings in the modern world has a major impact on basic social interests," the Duma speaker said.

"Surveys confirm public demand for tougher legislation in this field. According to the VTsIOM national public opinion research center, 82% of Russian nationals support tougher punishment for these kinds of crimes," Naryshkin said.

The bill was drafted last year after punk band Pussy Riot performed a protest song against President Putin in Moscow's main cathedral.

Two Pussy Riot members are now serving prison terms in penal colonies.