The Russian State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s Parliament, voted on Wednesday to give its preliminary support to legislation that will permit its army to sign contracts with suspects or criminal convicts to take part in the war in Ukraine.

According to the State Duma, the proposed legislation would authorize the country’s Ministry of Defense to sign a contract with someone being investigated for committing a crime, having their case heard in court, or after they have been convicted but before the verdict takes legal effect. Those who sign the contracts would be exempt from criminal liability upon completion of their contract or if they perform well on the battlefield and receive honors for their combat prowess.

However, there are exceptions to the proposed legislation. Those who have been convicted of sexual crimes, treason, terrorism or extremism would be barred from signing such contracts. Furthermore, people who have already been imprisoned will not be eligible to sign a contract under the terms of the new legislation.

In 2022, the Russian private military company Wagner Group was the first to obtain permission to recruit prisoners to fight in Ukraine. Wagner Group offered criminal convicts a pardon if they could survive half a year on the frontline, which raised alarm among international experts in the UN. Experts warned that the Wagner Group’s treatment of enlisted convicts, including threats and ill-treatment, amounted to human rights violations and potential war crimes. However, the scheme was completely stopped in February this year.

The recruitment of criminal convicts into the army could potentially lead to further claims of Russian war crimes in Ukraine, as soldiers enlisted under the new legislation may be less inclined to comply with international humanitarian law.