MOSCOW, July 25 (RAPSI) – The Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, approved on Tuesday a draft law toughening penalties for election fraud.

The State Duma passed the initiative on July 19.

It is proposed to make amendments to the Russian Criminal Code envisaging that members of election and referendum commissions would face fines ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 rubles (about $3,400 – 8,500 at the current exchange rate), or amounting to the sum of salary or other gains earned by the convict in the period of up to 3 years, community service of up to 4 years, or imprisonment of up to 4 years for the issuance of ballots to citizens enabling them to vote repeatedly during the election or for other individuals and for issuance of completed voting papers.

Receipt of ballot papers instead of other voters or for repeated voting would result in fines ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 rubles ($1,700 – 5,000), community service of up to 4 years, or prison sentence of up to 4 years.

These crimes committed by an organized group and in collusion would be punished with fines from 400,000 to 700,000 rubles ($7,000 – 12,000), or amounting to the sum of salary or other gains earned by the convict in the period of up to 4 years, community service of up to 5 years, or prison terms of up to 5 years.