MOSCOW, March 1 (RAPSI) – The Federation Council, the upper house of Russian parliament, ratified the Fourth Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Extradition on Wednesday.

The European Convention on Extradition envisages the extradition between Parties of persons wanted for criminal proceedings or for executing a sentence.

The Protocol signed on February 24, 2015 in Strasbourg introduces amendments for a number of provisions in the Convention in order to adapt it to modern requirements. The provisions are related to such issues as expiry of the limitation period, the order of registration of extradition requests and additional documents, the transit procedure and subsequent extradition of a person to a third country.

According to the protocol, an extradition request can’t be denied on the ground that a person may not be prosecuted or punished in the requested country because of lapse of time for potential crime.

Russia reserves the right not to apply this provision if extradition is related to a certain crime over which the country has jurisdiction itself or if Russian legislation prohibits extradition of a person because of lapse of time.

In addition, Russia reserves the right to request original documents or certified copies of the extradition request and of additional documents. Foreign countries are to be allowed transit of extradited person through Russian territory only if it meets the requirements established by the Russian legislation on extradition.

The protocol implementation will contribute to development of international cooperation in the field of extradition.