Law & Legislation

Parliament plans to ban sale of chewing tobacco in Russia

An amendment prohibiting the sale of snus and naswar will be proposed during the second hearing of the smoke-free law in the State Duma on Friday, said Dmitry Noskov, chairman of the State Duma Committee for Physical Fitness, Sports and Youth Affairs.

10:24 25.01.2013

State Duma approves regions' right to cancel direct gubernatorial elections

The State Duma has held the first reading of a draft law which would give the regions the right not to hold direct gubernatorial elections.

10:29 24.01.2013

Russia publishes draft law on development of Arctic zone

A draft federal law on Russia's Arctic zone was published on Wednesday on the Regional Development Ministry's website. The ministry will serve as the coordinator and the authorized federal executive body responsible for the Arctic's development.

16:57 23.01.2013

Belarus delays death penalty abolition

The question of abolishing the death penalty in Belarus remains open, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus Petr Miklashevich told a news conference in Minsk on Wednesday.

15:46 23.01.2013

Officials may undergo mandatory drug tests

A Just Russia Deputy Oleg Nilov submitted a bill on Tuesday that would require civil servants to undergo drug testing.

17:31 22.01.2013

Federal Contract System Law will start working in 2014 - Medvedev

A law establishing the Federal Contract System, which will replace the current state procurement procedures, ought to come into force from January 2014, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting with parliamentary parties.

14:31 22.01.2013

New law on blood donors enters into force in Russia

A new Russian law on the donation of blood, which includes a provision banning the sale of blood, will enter into force on January 21. It was adopted by the State Duma in July 2012 and approved by the Federation Council on July 18, 2012.

12:08 21.01.2013

Obama suspends sanction that would allow US citizens to sue Cuban companies

President Barack Obama has suspended the operation of part of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Helms-Burton) Act for six months.

12:43 17.01.2013

Communist party to dispute constitutionality of new education law

The Communist Party intends will turn to the Constitutional Court to question the validity of a new framework law on education this month, First Deputy Chairman of the party Ivan Melnikov announced.

12:05 15.01.2013

Russia's Pirate Party denied official registration

The Pirate Party of Russia has been denied registration because it violated legislation in some of the documents it submitted, says the press service of the Justice Ministry.

10:30 15.01.2013

Top news

Russian courts allowed not to implement rulings of Europe's human rights court

Russia's Supreme Court proposed not to implement rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

12:53 09.12.2025

Redomiciliation stalls: How sanctions are shaping new practices for Russian companies

The mechanism for redomiciliating foreign companies to Russian jurisdiction, in effect since 2018, has recently encountered serious obstacles. Taking into account the background of sanctions-related restrictions introduced in 2022 through 2025, it has become extremely difficult to achieve the goal. The situation gave rise to the phenomenon of dual domicile and led to a rise in the number of new litigations, both in Russia and abroad.

12:32 09.12.2025

Soldiers jailed for killing US journalist Russell Bentley

A military court in Donetsk sentenced three soldiers to up to 12 years in prison for torturing and killing Russell Bentley, a 63-year-old U.S. national who collaborated with Sputnik news agency.

14:05 08.12.2025