A bill imposing harsher punishments for attacks on journalists has been submitted to the lower house of Russia's parliament, a lawmaker said on Friday.
Current legislation is "not enough," said lawmaker Irina Yarovaya.
The bill proposes a sentence of 6-15 years for those who commit offenses that endanger the lives of journalists. It also extends sentences for those who commit minor offences from two to five years.
The proposal was first put forward following the brutal attack on well-known journalist Oleg Kashin in early November. Observers believe Kashin was targeted for his criticism of pro-government youth groups and a controversial road building project.
The Kashin case is the latest in a long stream of attacks on journalists in Russia, which has one of the poorest journalist safety records in the world.
With at least 35 journalists murdered between 2000 and 2009, the International Press Institute places Russia fifth in its ranking of countries most dangerous for journalists, after Iraq, the Philippines, Colombia and Mexico.
MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti)
