Confidence Group warns foreign citizens that any transfer of funds to the Russian officials is considered to be a bribe, even if it is given out by way of a gift as a sign of respect or appreciation.
Most of all this is applied to cases when problems with permits of the foreign citizen are solving “upon the spot” when crossing the Russian border.
Last example of such case was recent illegal crossing of the Domodedovo checkpoint with an expired visa. The foreign citizen was offered to pay 4,000 rubles in exchange for the issue of an exit visa by evasion of the established order. The foreign citizen paid to the officials the specified sum of money, and after that, he was arrested for the bribery.
Bribery is a crime and shall be punished in accordance with the Art. 291 of the Russian Criminal Code.
Bribery facilitation which is a direct transfer of the bribe on behalf of the briber or the bribe-taker or other facilitation to the briber and (or) the bribe-taker in the achievement, or implementation of the agreement between them on the receiving and giving the bribe in a sizeable amount shall be punished in accordance with the Art. 291.1 of the Russian Criminal Code.
Giving, receiving or facilitation in giving or receiving the bribe for 10 000 rubles is the small bribe to be punished in accordance with the Art. 291.2 of the Russian Criminal Code.
At the same time any claim of the official to pay a certain amount of money in order to solve any problems of the foreign citizen, is considered as extorting the bribes. All cases of extortion of bribes by the officials should be reported to the law enforcement. The officials extorting bribes can be punished by up to one hundred times of the bribe or the imprisonment for up to 15 years.
For additional information please contact consultants of Confidence Group.
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