MOSCOW, October 15 (RAPSI) – President of Russia Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a law envisaging that defendants charged with tax offences are not to be held criminally liable in cases where they have repaid the amounts in question in the course of court proceedings, according to the official website of legal information.

Its draft was developed by Russia’s Supreme Court with the aim to humanize criminal policies with respect to tax and insurance payments defaulters.

The document answers the tasks of further humanization of criminal policies and envisages that there is to be created an environment ensuring the fullest possible observance of the rights of suspects and defendants in tax cases.

Previous legislation prescribed termination of criminal proceedings in tax cases only if the damages were compensated before the start of court hearings.