INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
State Duma voted in favor of a package of bills, which would allow current and former convicts as well as suspected criminals to enlist with
the Defense Ministry, in its second and third readings Tuesday.If signed into law, the legislation would expunge the criminal records of
those who join the Armed Forces once they complete their battlefield service or receive a state award.Criminal records could be expunged
separate bill lists exceptions to the pardonable crimes that include espionage, treason, terrorism, sex crimes and other serious
felonies.Those exceptions do not apply to current service members, meaning they could theoretically be pardoned from a treason or rape
conviction before the law takes effect.For suspected criminals who agree to take up arms, authorities can suspend criminal proceedings
against them if they face up to five years in prison for premeditated crimes or up to 10 years for acts of negligence.The bill notes that
voting in the upper-house Federation Council, after which Putin is expected to sign them into law.Putin signed a law in November allowing
the conscription of citizens with unexpunged or outstanding convictions for serious crimes.This month, Putin confirmed that he had started
signing pardons for prisoners who agree to fight in Ukraine.There are no official figures for how many inmates signed up to join Wagner in
exchange for a pardon and high salaries, but estimates based on Russia's prison population decline have placed the figure at over
20,000.Many of these recruits were killed in fighting over the fiercely contested city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.The Defense Ministry
was last month reported to have recruited inmates from prisons since September.
