MOSCOW, April 20 (RAPSI) – Federation Council, the upper chamber of Russia’s parliament, has approved a law binding courts to allow photo and video records into evidence when addressing administrative cases, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday.
Konstantin Dobrynin, when a senator, was among the authors of the bill, which was finalized with participation of the Russian Federal Chamber of Lawyers.
According to the legislation currently in force, paragraph 2 of Article 26.7 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences points out that documents allowed into evidence may contain information presented in writing or in some other form. However, regulations permit to disregard photos, camera footage, audio and video records as documents and evidence.
The law approved by the senators envisages that with regard to materials in the form of photos and camera footage, as well as audio and video records “may be allowed” wording is to be replaced with a formula obliging courts to allow such materials into evidence in all administrative cases.
The imperative nature of this requirement not only resolves an uncertainty, which may generate corruption factors, but also prescribes to view materials in the form of photos and camera footage, as well as audio and video records (including records made by special technical equipment allowing photo and camera shooting) as evidence in court proceedings, the authors of the law note.
Dobrynin also has noted that the amendment makes the respective provision of law more stringent and eliminates opportunities for abuse.
“[After this amendment - ed.] excessive and often arbitrary judicial discretion will disappear,” – he told RIA Novosti news agency.
According to Dobrynin, ordinary citizens will be able to protect and restore their rights more easily, whereas “to some it will be impossible to conceal abuses.”
“One can only be happy about the adoption of this law, since it is the case, when something obvious for everybody has remained unthinkable for legislators and the state for too long,” – Dobrynin added.
