Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Friday officially increasing the maximum penalty for treason to life in prison as part of efforts to crack down on dissent since the war in Ukraine began last year, Reuters reported.

The decree was published on the website of the Kremlin. Lawmakers have already voted to increase the maximum sentence for treason to life imprisonment from 20 years.

Lawmakers also approved raising the maximum sentence for committing a “terrorist act,” defined as an act that endangers life and is aimed at destabilizing Russia, to 20 years from the current 15 years.

Those convicted of sabotage could face 20 years in prison instead of 15, while those convicted of “international terrorism” could face life in prison instead of 12 years. The decree did not explain what “international terrorism” is.

Putin signed the new decree as rights groups say authorities are stepping up efforts to silence the few voices of opposition.

Russia says that such laws are needed to protect the country from the infiltration of Ukraine and Western intelligence services.

Deprivation of citizenship of Russians who “threaten national security”

Vladimir Putin also promulgated a law to strip naturalized Russians who “threaten national security” of their citizenship.

Russian authorities will now be able to strip a naturalized person of their citizenship if they commit a crime or if they are found to have submitted false documents or provided false information during the naturalization process.

In the case of actions that Russia considers threatening its national security, the decision to revoke citizenship will be made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow or its territorial bodies.

Civil society organizations are demanding the repeal of a law that prevents people from speaking out against the war

Russian human rights organizations filed complaints with the Constitutional Court demanding the repeal of the law that prohibits people from speaking out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

OVD-Info, one of the NGOs involved, said on Tuesday that the goal is to repeal Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which prohibits “public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation to protect the interests of the Russian Federation.”

“This article should not exist at all because it prohibits criticizing the state, which is unacceptable in a democratic society,” OVD-Info lawyer Violetta Fitzner told Reuters.

So far, the authorities have registered 6,561 cases under Article 20.3.3, OVD-Info reports, including against people who held individual anti-war demonstrations, posted their views on the Internet or wore anti-war symbols on their clothes.

We will remind, the famous oppositionist Volodymyr Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison for treason and spreading false information about the army – three times more than any previous term for speaking out against the war.

Since the beginning of March last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin has promulgated a law prohibiting the spread of “false information” about the country’s armed forces.