Law change allows Russian military to free citizens detained abroad
The Russian armed forces will be permitted in future, with the authorization of President Vladimir Putin, to free Russian citizens detained abroad, as per a law change adopted on Wednesday.The Russian parliament passed a corresponding legislative amendment that had been announced in March, Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said."Western 'justice' has turned into a repressive machine for cracking down on those who disagree with the decisions imposed by European officials," he said, explaining the rationale behind the initiative. "Under these circumstances, it is important to do everything possible to protect our citizens abroad."A prerequisite for a military operation to free a citizen would be an order from Putin, who still needs to approve the legislative changes. However, this is considered a formality.The law could be seen as a way of Putin securing better protection for himself. The president is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of war crimes in Ukraine.Should Putin or other Russian citizens be wrongfully convicted and imprisoned in the view of Moscow, a military operation to secure their release will be legally possible in future.Independent Russian legal experts view the amendments as a deterrent, and do not expect the law to be applied in practice.Putin had also signed a law stipulating that rulings by foreign courts would not be enforced if they conflicted with Russia’s interests. For example, Russia no longer complies with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, nor does it recognize the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
