Almost 80% of Russian businessmen believe that they are not protected from unjustified criminal prosecution, and 18% of prosecutors agree with them. Among the latter, 6.6% called arrests on economic matters unjustified, a government survey has found.
Some 79% of entrepreneurs told Russia’s Federal Guard Service they feared Russian legislation was too weak to stop them from being arrested or facing criminal investigation on dubious grounds, according to an annual report compiled by Russia’s business ombudsman Boris Titov, the Moscow Time reports.
A majority of lawyers also believe business owners face a heightened risk of arrest, as do 18% of federal and regional prosecutors, the survey, conducted in March, found.
Russia’s business community has long complained of the risks of arbitrary arrest and criminal proceedings brought about as an attempt to sway corporate disputes. The issue gained new attention with the case of U.S. investor Michael Calvey, who was detained in February 2019 amid an international arbitration dispute between his Baring Vostok investment fund and a former business partner.
