MOSCOW, May 16 (RAPSI) – A bill on decriminalization of certain self-defense acts made under specific circumstances has reached the State Duma, the database for the lower house of parliament reads on Tuesday.

The bill introduces changes to Russian legislation on justifiable self-defense. According to the bill, hurting an assailant in the event of intrusion of defender’s place of residence is not to be considered a crime if there was a threat of violence against the defender or another person. Also, if an assailant knowingly threatens to inflict violence against a person in an incapable condition, these circumstances would not constitute exceeding reasonable level of self-defense.

Author of the bill, member of the Federation Council Anton Belyakov noted that in recent years there was a rise in numbers of robberies involving intrusion to a place of residence. In most cases victims have no option to call police and have to rely on themselves.

According to statistics, in most cases involving death of an assailant, law enforcement system believes that limits of self-defense were exceeded. Under the most common scenario disparity of level of threat and level of self-defense is being brought into questioning. This legal situation implies that a defender has to evaluate the crime and potential consequences before the crime is committed – a task almost impossible to achieve during the assault.