Yesterday, Russian President signed a new law under which illegal excavations will be punishable by up to five years in prison. Also a criminal offense will be considered as failure to transfer to the State of artifacts of special cultural value

Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that criminalizes illegal excavations. Illegal search and (or) removal of archaeological sites of occurrence (on the ground, in the land and in the water) is punishable by a fine of half a million to a million rubles, or by a fine in the amount of salary for the period from 18 months to 5 years, or coercive labor for a term of one to five years, or imprisonment for a term of two to six years. The penalty depends on how significant the excavated objects and where they were dug up (in the objects listed in the state register of cultural heritage objects, or objects identified). In addition, the application is considered to be an aggravating factor in the illegal excavation of special technical equipment (metal detectors, radar, magnetic devices, etc.), and (or) earth-moving machinery, the use of official position and carrying out illegal excavations organized group. Archaeological excavations on the territory of the Russian Federation is now possible to produce only with a formal resolution (open list). Also introduced criminal liability for failing to transfer the state of objects of cultural value of those conducting legitimate excavations. Such violators face from three to six years in prison.

Source : pravo.gov.ru