DUMA ADOPTS CRIMINAL CODE BUT CRIME LEADERS REMAIN AT LARGE.

The Duma has passed and sent to the Federation Council a newcriminal code which will give the Russian government new powersin fighting economic crimes, Russian radio reported July 19. Butinterior ministry officials told Ostankino television the sameday that Moscow has had little success against the top peoplein organized crime. Only 79 of the country’s 740 mafia kingpinsare now behind bars, most for minor crimes. One of the reasonsthe criminal leaders are able to avoid punishment is the inadequacyof the country’s laws; another, the interior ministry said, isthat the crime lords have the money to buy the best lawyers Russiahas. Meanwhile, Yeltsin issued a decree improving the conditionsof those incarcerated, including the establishment of a requirementthat prisoners are to have televisions and refrigerators whenpossible, Moskovsky komsomolets reported July 18.