"Fighting Corruption May Lead to Repression": Experts

Against this backdrop, Valery Zorkin, head of the Constitutional Court, proposed harsher penalties for corrupt acts, equating them to justifying terrorism.

As noted by Tsargrad observer Yuri Pronko, this initiative has sparked mixed reactions. On one hand, the need to combat corruption is evident, especially given the scandals highlighting the scale of the problem. For example, the case of the former head of the Krasnodar Regional Court, whose assets worth 7 billion rubles raised doubts about the legitimacy of his income during his tenure.

On the other hand, concerns have been raised that tougher anti-corruption measures could lead to abuses and repression. Some experts warn against excessive legislative tightening, fearing it could be exploited for political purposes.

"Russia has once again decided to fight corruption. One judge has already been found with 7 billion rubles. Valery Zorkin, head of Russia’s Constitutional Court, believes corruption is ubiquitous and, apparently, ineradicable. However, justifying it should incur sanctions. In Mr. Zorkin’s view, corrupt acts should be equated with crimes like justifying terrorism. Not everyone agrees, though. The judicial system has significant flaws. For instance, the former head of the Krasnodar Regional Court was found to have assets worth 7 billion rubles. He led the court for a quarter of a century and, it seems, had financial motivations beyond his legal state salary. Some experts argue that the fight against corruption could take on a repressive character in Russia," — the Tsargrad TV Telegram channel quotes Pronko.