MOSCOW, KOMPAS.com – Lower house Russian parliament, Duma, support legal plan ( RUU) who will give the president Russia along with his family impunity from criminal prosecution after they leave office.
The legal immunity bill revives speculation about Putin’s political future. He has been in power since 2000, exercising tremendous influence and protection.
Russia’s main opposition, Alexei Navalny, questioned why Putin needed an immunity law now BBC, Tuesday (17/11/2020).
“Can dictators step down of their own free will?” asked Navalny on his Twitter account.
The bill passed its first discussion in the Duma on Tuesday, where most members of parliament are members of the pro-Putin party, United Russia.
On the other hand, as many as 37 members of the Communist parliament opposed the bill. After passing the first discussion, the bill is still undergoing two more discussions at the Duma.
Furthermore, if the bill passes two more discussions at the Duma, the bill will be reviewed by the upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, then submitted to Putin for signature.
Both the Duma and the Federation Council are dominated by pro-Putin lawmakers.
Also read: Putin won’t congratulate Joe Biden on this
If the bill does pass, the former president and his family will have immunity from police searches or checks, or confiscation of their property.
They will not be prosecuted for crimes committed in their lifetime, except for charges of treason or other serious crimes under extraordinary circumstances.
Currently, the only surviving former Russian president is Putin’s ally, Dmitry Medvedev.
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev would not have had such immunity because he was not the president of Russia.
Also read: The Kremlin denies rumors that Putin will step down because of Parkinson’s
United Russia lawmaker Pavel Krasheninnikov, co-author of the bill, said the aim was to provide the president with important guarantees for the stability of the state and society.
Earlier, in July, Putin signed an executive order regarding amendment Russia’s constitution that allows him to run for two more terms.
The signing took place after he won referendum of the Russian people to amend the Russian constitution.
Putin’s fourth term is expected to end in 2024, but the latest amendments allow him to run for another two terms.
Also read: It is rumored that Putin wants to step down as president of Russia due to Parkinson’s disease
Now, Putin is 68 years old and has no clear successor.
Opposition figures criticized the referendum results in July, saying Putin aimed to become President of Russia for life. But these allegations have been denied by Putin.
– .
