Simonov, A.G. Criminal law characteristics of the subject of destruction or causing harm to the forest and other planted vegetation

Abstract: The article contains analysis of the elements of the subject of destruction or harming of forests and other planted vegetation, and a proposal is made for lowering the minimum age of an offender in a crime under Art. 261 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to 14 years old. The author studies the issues of criminal responsibility of legal entities for environmental crimes taking into account the foreign criminal legislation (in the Great Britain, the USA, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the People’s Republic of China, India, Japan, Romania, the Republic of Moldova, the Lithuanian Republic). The article supports the proposal of introduction of criminal responsibility of legal entities specifically for criminal destruction or harming of forests and other planted vegetation on a condition that this idea shall be implemented in a comprehensive procedure within the framework of the norms of the General and Specific Parts of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The criminal responsibility for the destruction or harming forest and other vegetation by the legal entities in the course of their economic activities is offered to establish in the special Art. 261.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

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