The Criminal Code proposes to establish 'commitment of a crime using…
The Criminal Code proposes to establish 'commitment of a crime using information and communication technologies, including artificial intelligence technologies' as an aggravating circumstance.
Consensus
- Alexander Bastykin, head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, proposed treating the use of artificial intelligence in criminal acts as an aggravating circumstance.
- The proposal involves adding a new aggravating factor to the Russian Criminal Code: committing crimes using information and communication technologies (ICT), including AI.
- The draft law was prepared by the Investigative Committee and is intended to apply specifically when ICT or AI are used as the primary means to achieve criminal results or significantly increase harm.
- Bastykin emphasized that not all use of technology would be considered aggravating, only cases where it plays a central role in the crime.
- The proposal was made during interviews with Interfax on July 28, 2025.
- Russia has already introduced similar aggravating circumstances for using VPNs and proxy servers since September 1, 2025.
Points of divergence
- The draft law was submitted to the State Duma in mid-July 2025. — fontanka
- Over 675,000 crimes involving computer technologies were registered in 2025; 342 unique deepfakes were detected in nine months of 2025—double the number from the previous year—with over 122.5 million views. — fontanka
- The Investigative Committee actively uses AI and IT solutions for investigations, including analyzing large video data sets (over 3,000 files, more than 2 terabytes) to identify over 400 individuals quickly. — vedomosti
- Bastykin stated that final analysis of AI results in criminal cases is always conducted by humans; AI serves only as a supplementary tool. — vedomosti
- The aggravating circumstance should apply primarily to crimes where ICT and AI are the main means to achieve criminal outcomes or multiply harm, such as cyberfraud, illegal data trafficking, and attacks on critical information infrastructure. — tg_varlamov_news
Coverage (9 sources)
- Bastrykin proposed considering the use of AI in committing crimes as an aggravating circumstance — Meduza
- Bastrikin: Use of deepfakes should be an aggravating circumstance — Фонтанка
- Russia's Investigative Committee Proposes Stricter Criminal Liability for Crimes Using AI and VPN Services — Настоящее Время
- The Investigative Committee of Russia: Use of AI, Proxies and VPNs Should Be Considered an Aggravating Circumstance — Ведомости
- FEDERAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE PREPARES BILL ON RECOGNIZING THE USE OF AI AS AN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE IN COMMITTING CRIMES — Varlamov News
- Bastrikin warns that AI technologies could become a serious threat in the hands of criminals — Интерфакс
- Bastrykin states that AI cannot fully replace human deep analysis in jurisprudence — Интерфакс
- Bastrikin Discussed the Use of AI in Investigating Cases — Ведомости
- Bastrykin states that the Investigative Committee actively uses artificial intelligence in investigations — Дождь (Telegram)