Russian President, Vladimir Putin has on Tuesday signed a law granting former presidents of the federation an expanded immunity from prosecution and allowing them to become senators for life in the upper house of Parliament once they leave the Kremlin.
According to a report, the ne now law follows sweeping reforms of Russia’s political system initiated by Putin this year.
The new law among other things, will allows president Putin to run for two more six-year terms in the Kremlin if he chooses to do so as the president said he yet to decide.
News
|
Vladimir Putin
Russia’s Putin signs bill giving ex-presidents lifetime immunity
Bill gives former presidents and their families immunity from prosecution for crimes committed during their lifetime.
Putin, first elected Russia’s president in 2000, has served longer than any Russian or Soviet politician since the early 1950s [File: AFP]
Putin, first elected Russia’s president in 2000, has served longer than any Russian or Soviet politician since the early 1950s [File: AFP]
22 Dec 2020
President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting former Russian presidents expanded immunity from prosecution and allowing them to become senators for life in the upper house of Parliament once they leave the Kremlin.
The new law follows sweeping reforms of Russia’s political system initiated by Putin this year. Among other things, it allows him to run for two more six-year terms in the Kremlin if he chooses.
KEEP READING
‘I haven’t decided’: Putin tight-lipped over 2024 re-election bid
How will Biden, who called Putin ‘soulless’, stand up to Russia?
Putin orders start of Russia’s mass COVID vaccination programme
The legislation was part of constitutional amendments that were approved this summer in a nationwide vote that allowed Putin to remain president until 2036. He would otherwise have had to step down in 2024.
The reforms are being parsed for clues as to what Putin, 68, may do at the end of his current term, which is his second consecutive term and his fourth overall.
Former presidents were already entitled to immunity from prosecution for crimes committed while in office, but the new law grants them lifelong immunity and says they cannot be arrested, searched, questioned or prosecuted.
The new legislation also makes it harder to revoke a former president’s immunity.
News
|
Vladimir Putin
Russia’s Putin signs bill giving ex-presidents lifetime immunity
Bill gives former presidents and their families immunity from prosecution for crimes committed during their lifetime.
Putin, first elected Russia’s president in 2000, has served longer than any Russian or Soviet politician since the early 1950s [File: AFP]
Putin, first elected Russia’s president in 2000, has served longer than any Russian or Soviet politician since the early 1950s [File: AFP]
22 Dec 2020
President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting former Russian presidents expanded immunity from prosecution and allowing them to become senators for life in the upper house of Parliament once they leave the Kremlin.
The new law follows sweeping reforms of Russia’s political system initiated by Putin this year. Among other things, it allows him to run for two more six-year terms in the Kremlin if he choose.
‘I haven’t decided’: Putin tight-lipped over 2024 re-election bid
How will Biden, who called Putin ‘soulless’, stand up to Russia?
Putin orders start of Russia’s mass COVID vaccination programme
The legislation was part of constitutional amendments that were approved this summer in a nationwide vote that allowed Putin to remain president until 2036. He would otherwise have had to step down in 2024.
The reforms are being parsed for clues as to what Putin, 68, may do at the end of his current term, which is his second consecutive term and his fourth overall.
Former presidents were already entitled to immunity from prosecution for crimes committed while in office, but the new law grants them lifelong immunity and says they cannot be arrested, searched, questioned or prosecuted.
The new legislation also makes it harder to revoke a former president’s immunity.
Among other things, the process involves the upper house of Parliament voting overwhelmingly to revoke it on the strength of accusations by the lower house that the president has committed treason or another serious crime.
The other laws signed by Putin allow presidents to name up to 30 senators to the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house, and to join the Council themselves once they have left office.
On Tuesday, the lower house State Duma also passed legislation making information about employees of Russia’s judicial system, law enforcement and regulatory and military bodies confidential.
The bill now requires Putin’s signature to become law, a step that is considered a formality.
It comes a day after opposition figure Alexey Navalny said he telephoned an alleged security agent and tricked him into admitting the Federal Security Service (FSB) tried to kill him in August by poisoning.
Navalny said he had gained access to the security agent’s phone number from leaked logs and travel record
The Kremlin critic later published the agent’s alleged address and phone number, actions that would become illegal under the newly proposed legislation.
n.s.ion.
No comments