Russian lawmakers will on Friday propose tougher punishment for terrorists and discuss introducing a raft of new security measures at a rare meeting of both chambers of parliament, Russian news agencies reported, citing a draft law.
The move is a response to Kremlin confirmation that a bomb downed a Russian passenger plane over Egypt last month, killing all 224 people on board, and follows the Paris attacks in which the so-called Islamic State extremists killed at least 129 people.
Russia stepped up its airstrikes against IS militants in Syria after concluding the plane had been blown up, but lawmakers say they want to ensure President Vladimir Putin knows he has their full support if he decides to go further, Reuters reported.
The Interfax news agency said the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, and the Duma, the lower house, would propose broadly tougher criminal sentences for terrorists and those charged with aiding or financing attacks.
