BUSINESS OMBUDSMAN TITOV PROPOSED TO BAN THE ARREST OF ENTREPRENEURS

The Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Entrepreneurs Boris Titov has taken the initiative to completely ban the sending of entrepreneurs to jail. According to him, the exception should be crimes related to violence, as well as violation of a preventive measure by a suspect.

In August, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation prepared a bill clarifying the grounds for the arrest of entrepreneurs who are charged with economic crimes of small and medium gravity. Boris Titov is sure that the changes will not be effective enough. He sent a corresponding response to the draft amendments to the Ministry of Justice.

"In many cases, the mechanisms aimed at protecting entrepreneurs do not work," Kommersant quotes Titov.

According to the Ombudsman, the main issue remains the determination by the investigation or the court of the incriminated acts as related to entrepreneurial activity.

That is, to date, detention is not allowed if the charge is related to professional activity. The bill proposes to "strengthen" this rule by including in the petition specific confirmations that the incriminated crime was not committed in connection with the business activities of the person involved.

In addition, Titov stressed that the house arrest of the businessman's representatives does not make it possible to fully manage the enterprise. As a preventive measure against entrepreneurs, he proposed to leave only a ban on certain activities or a pledge.