Duress - national proceedings

Russian Federation

The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

General Part

Section II. Crime

Chapter 8. Circumstances Excluding the Criminality of a Deed

Article 40. Physical or Psychic Coercion

1. The infliction of harm on the criminal-law protected interests as a result of physical coercion shall not be a crime, if in consequence of such coercion the person concerned could not guide his actions (inaction).

2. The question of criminal responsibility for the infliction of harm on the criminal-law protected interests as a result of psychic coercion, and also as a result of physical coercion, in consequence of which the person concerned has retained the possibility of guiding his actions, shall be settled with due account of the provisions of Article 39 of this Code .

Rome Statute

Article 31 Grounds for excluding criminal responsibility

1. In addition to other grounds for excluding criminal responsibility provided for in this Statute, a person shall not be criminally responsible if, at the time of that person's conduct:

(d) The conduct which is alleged to constitute a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court has been caused by duress resulting from a threat of imminent death or of continuing or imminent serious bodily harm against that person or another person, and the person acts necessarily and reasonably to avoid this threat, provided that the person does not intend to cause a greater harm than the one sought to be avoided. Such a threat may either be:

(i) Made by other persons; or

(ii) Constituted by other circumstances beyond that person's control.