Less than 30 people sentenced for major bribes in Russia

MOSCOW (Itar-Tass) - Less than 30 people were sentenced
in Russia in 2010 for major bribes exceeding one million rubles (35
thousand dollars), while minor bribe-takers are sentenced conditionally,
according to State Duma security committee chairman Vladimir Vasiliyev who
met Supreme Justice Vyacheslav Lebedev on Thursday.
Vasiliyev told reporters Russian courts annually consider close to
nine thousand corruption cases and two thousand of them result in a
conviction.
Vasiliyev said 25 percent of convicts comprise healthcare workers,
another 25 percent are law enforcers, including traffic police officers,
and 14 percent are municipal officials.
Out of them only 25 percent are sentenced to imprisonment while others
are sentenced conditionally, according to Vasiliyev.
He quoted the supreme justice as saying the average bribe comprised
from 500 to 10 thousand rubles (15 - 350 US dollars) last year.
"It is clear it would not be fair to punish people for such bribes
with custody. However less than 30 people were sentenced for bribes
exceeding one million rubles. It should be all vice versa," the lawmaker
said.


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