MOSCOW, November 12 (RAPSI) - Government envoy to the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court, Mikhail Barshchevsky, proposed establishing a security agency to provide protection and promote the impartiality of judges, RIA Novosti reports.

He explained that, if established, the security agency would report to the Supreme Court. Barshchevsky suggests that only this agency would be authorized to carry out investigations regarding judges. It would be able to initiate criminal cases against judges as well as present the evidence necessary to dismiss a judge.

Barshchevsky says the new agency must be authorized to prosecute parties that try to influence judges. “Any parliament member or anyone in public office should be afraid to call a judge. This is how we can ensure true impartiality of judges.”

Additionally, the government envoy proposed toughening criminal sanctions for attempting to influence a judge. Specifically, Barshchevsky noted that bribing a judge must entail a stricter punishment than a common bribe.