The institution of criminal proceedings with the aim of hampering the activity of businessmen will be punished with jail terms in the Transnistrian region. Such a provision is contained in a bill to amend the Transnistrian Penal Code that was adopted in the first reading, IPN reports.

According to the Transnistrian press, the holding accountable of an obviously innocent person is now also penalized in the region, but there are cases when criminal proceedings are instituted not against a person, but on the deed. The investigation lasts for several months and then the case is dropped. Meanwhile, the business suffers partial or irremediable damage.

If the law takes effect, law enforcement officials will serve five to ten years in jail for illegal criminal prosecution that causes damage of over 10,000 Transnistrian rubles to a business.