Russian deputies from the ruling party have proposed a draft bill to make it illegal to promote secessionism and sympathize with separatist movements.

      The new bill is expected to become an answer to the increasing public support for the ideas of relinquishing mainly Muslim territories in the restive North Caucasus.

      If the bill is passed, people found guilty of producing, owing and distributing separatist publications could face penalties of five to seven years in prison.

      Planning, organizing or publicly promoting activities aimed at threatening the integrity of Russia could be punishable by between six and 12 years in prison.

      A survey released earlier this year by the Levada Center pollster shows that 24 percent of people would be happy to see Chechnya break away from Russia. That marked a 10 percent increase from 2009.

      Many opposition leaders have recently gained public support for popularization of the idea to grant independence to territories in the North Caucasus, describing them as a drain on the federal budget. In their turn, Kremlin top politicians have been repeatedly expressing their intentions to keep all Russian territories at any cost.