Law & Legislation

US liberalizes trade with Russia, but shuns allegedly corrupt officials

The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance has approved a joint bill on withdrawing the Jackson-Vanik amendment, granting Russia normal treatment in trade, while also maintaining the Magnitsky bill provisions.

11:42 19.07.2012

Upper house ratifies protocol on Russia's WTO accession

The Federation Council ratified on Wednesday the protocol on Russia's accession to the WTO.

17:05 18.07.2012

Federation Council ratifies adoption treaty with United States

The Federation Council ratified a treaty on Russia-United States cooperation in adoption after lengthy negotiations on Wednesday.

16:44 18.07.2012

Supreme Court Chairman justifies removal of defamation provisions

Supreme Court Chairman Vyacheslav Lebedev believes it is right to exclude the provision on imprisonment for defamation from legislation, because the provision previously did not work in practice.

12:38 18.07.2012

Federation Council committee comments on 'foreign agents' bill

The Federation Council's Committee discussed the draft law branding non-profit entities financed from abroad and engaged in politics as "foreign agents."

15:45 17.07.2012

Kremlin human rights activist wants end to 'outrageous' bills

The State Duma received a letter from Presidential Human Rights Council Chairman Mikhail Fedotov, requesting to suspend the adoption of the law on non-profit organizations, on the Criminal Code's defamation article and on the website blacklist.

15:18 17.07.2012

Volunteers law to be prepared for consideration by September

The team drafting a law to regulate volunteer activities plan to complete their work by September.

15:00 17.07.2012

Filtering & Blocking Internet Resources: A Global Perspective

On July 11, the State Duma approved in the second and third readings a law on setting up a single registry of domains and websites with illegal content. The registry will be established as of November. A draft law envisaging the blacklist was submitted to the State Duma in early June and adopted in the first reading on July 6. The list will include websites with information harmful for children, especially child pornography or promoting suicide or drugs. The Internet community reacted negatively to the bill, fearing government censorship.

16:13 16.07.2012

MPs plan to class media "foreign agents"

United Russia MPs intend to enter media financed from abroad into the "foreign agents" register. According to deputies, a number of media services working in Russia, may be categorized as foreign agents in the fall.

11:13 16.07.2012

EU commissioner concerned by new NGO's law and websites blacklist

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Anna Cecilia Malmstroem expressed her concern on Twitter on Friday over Russia's adoption of a law branding non-profit organizations "foreign agents" and a "website blacklist" containing information banned from distribution in the country.

16:57 13.07.2012

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