MOSCOW, November 24 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) – Russia’s Supreme Court has upheld preliminary termination of the State Duma lawmaker’s status for Ilya Ponomaryov, RAPSI reported from the courtroom on Thursday.

Ponomaryov himself was absent because earlier the Basmanny District Court of Moscow had put him in detention in absentia due to his status as defendant in a criminal case over embezzlement at the Skolkovo Foundation. Representative of Ponomaryov, lawyer Maria Bast asked the court to hear testimony of former Russian lawmaker Dmitry Gudkov.

Bast said that because of her client’s political beliefs and activities, and fear of repercussions from authorities, he had a good reason not to be present during the State Duma’s sessions. She also noted that legislative changes introducing termination of MP status for being absent during the session are related to persecution of her client.

Representative of the State Duma said that prosecution in a criminal case is not listed as appropriate reason not to be present during sessions. He added that such legislative changes were adopted based on the Russian legislation norms.

Former MP Gudkov denied that the State Duma’s regulations list clear criteria for evaluating appropriateness of reasons to be absent during sessions. “MP is a subject to federal laws and is accountable only to the voter,” Gudkov said. He also expressed an opinion that preliminary termination of Ponomaryov’s status may be politically motivated.

The Supreme Court’s Board for administrative cases has upheld the previous ruling.

Ponomaryov has filed an administrative lawsuit with the Supreme Court against the State Duma’s ruling on preliminary termination of his MP status.

Earlier, the lower house’s official website has published a report over a meeting that happened on June 10 that resulted in preliminary termination of Ponomaryov’s status. Ex-lawmaker’s absence during the parliamentary hearings was announced as a reason for such termination.