MOSCOW, November 20 (RAPSI) – The State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, adopted a draft law on criminal punishment for knowingly false expert findings in a final third reading on Wednesday.

The bill stipulates that experts and specialists would face liability of up to 5 years in prison for false testimony, findings or incorrect translation on all stages of pretrial proceedings and trial.

Currently, such sanctions are envisaged only for false expert conclusions made during pretrial investigation in a criminal case and hearing in court (when the case is already opened).

However, the initiative’s sponsors claim that testimony of experts or specialists, including forensic tests of victims, handwriting analysis, drug or explosive examination, are required also when a crime report is being checked to exclude absence or presence of elements of crime. False findings submitted by experts may led to illegal prosecution of an innocent person or illegal refusal to open a criminal case.