MOSCOW, July 1 (RAPSI) – President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on  Thursday enacted a bill vesting Russia’s Investigative Committee with extended powers to investigate cases of crimes of medium and lesser severity committed against minors into law. 

The law envisages that the Investigative Committee is to be empowered to investigate the following crimes registered by the body: leaving minors in danger, involvement of minors in antisocial actions, neglect of responsibilities related to education of minors. These provisions are to streamline organization of preliminary investigative activities and improve efficiency of guarantees of protection of minors' rights, the ministry said in the statement.

Previously, legislation defined that the Investigative Committee was to investigate grave and especially grave crimes committed against minors. However, the crimes of lesser or moderate severity registered in the course of the respective investigations were to be investigated by other bodies, and further investigation of such cases by the Committee is possible only under condition that prosecutors give the respective permission.