Criminal liability threatens for vaccination certificate falsification - Ministry of Health RB

Recently, in connection with the tightening of anti-epidemiological measures in Bashkiria and several country regions, signals began to arrive about attempts to obtain certificates of vaccination against COVID-19 without actually being vaccinated. Forgery of medical documents can lead to serious consequences, up to criminal prosecution, the press service of the Ministry of Health of Bashkiria reports, citing the assistant to the Minister of Health Marat Garayev.

“Such actions bear not only disciplinary responsibility but also criminal responsibility. According to Article 286 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Abuse of Office" (punishable by up to four years in prison), parts one and three of Article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Taking a Bribe" (punishment up to imprisonment for up to eight years), parts one, two of Article 292 "Forgery in Office " (up to four years in prison). Some may think that a bribe of a couple of thousand will not be punished, but accepting or mediating a small bribe is Section 231, note 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Petty bribery", is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year. In addition, possible attempts by individuals to “trade” vaccination certificates or their forms will also result in a penalty of imprisonment for up to six years under part three of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Fraud,” Garayev said.

He also emphasized that the use by citizens of knowingly forged vaccination certificates (original without being vaccinated or counterfeit) also entails criminal liability up to imprisonment for up to six months under part five of Article 327 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Forgery, production or circulation of forged documents, state awards, stamps, seals or letterheads”.