Vladimir Putin grants lifetime immunity to former Presidents of Russia and their families

Russian President Vlimir Putin on December 22 signed legislation that will grant lifetime immunity to former presidents once y leave office. bill, which was published online, will give immunity from criminal prosecutions to Russian presidents and ir families. y will also be exempted from questioning by police or investigators, as well as searches or arrests. 

new law comes amid swirling questions over Putin’s future after his current term expires in 2024. It is also a part of sweeping constitutional reforms allowing Russian President to igre current limits and run for two more six-year presidential terms. legislation was part of constitutional amendments that were approved earlier this year in a nationwide vote that allow Putin to remain president until 2036. 

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w, under law, a former president can still be stripped of immunity if accused of treason or or grave crimes and charges are confirmed by Supreme and Constitutional courts. However, legislation will ditionally also grant ex-presidents a lifetime seat in Federation Council or Senate, a position that assures immunity from prosecution upon leaving presidency. 

According to Moscow Times, when drafting legislation, Russian lawmakers h argued that similar laws alrey exist in or countries around globe. On Tuesday, lower house State Duma passed bill making information about employees of Russia’s judicial system, law enforcement and regulatory and military bodies confidential. bill w requires Russian President’s signature to become law, a step that is considered a formality. 

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Putin shuns Navalny’s report 

Meanwhile, new legislation comes after Kremlin critic Alexie Navalny said that he telephones an alleged security nt and tricked him into mitting Federal Security Service (FSB) tried to kill in August by poisoning. FSB, on or hand, described evidence as "fake" and said that he was aided by foreign intelligence services. Earlier this week, Russian President Vlimir Putin also said that Navalny would have died, h state nts tried to assassinate him. His remarks came in reference to an investigative report which claimed, with substantive evidence, that Russia’s FSB poisoned him.

Speaking at his annual press conference, Putin described report as “legalization of materials from American special services" and ded that Navalny "has ir support". Justifying tailing of Kremlin critic, Putin said that Russia “of course” showed him, but did so because he was aligned with America. He blatantly dismissed claim that Russian nts were behind Navalny’s poisoning. Furrmore, he reckoned that if Russian special services h wanted to poison Navalny, "y would have taken it to end.”

(Im: Twitter/@KremlinRussia_E)

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