MOSCOW, November 28 (RAPSI) – President Vladimir Putin has submitted an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the State Duma for ratification.

The agreement was signed in Pyongyang on November 17, 2015 with an aim to develop the international legal framework of cooperation between Russia and North Korea in this area.

According to the explanatory note attached to the document, the parties commit to provide legal assistance to each other in investigations, litigations, and other legal proceedings relating to criminal matters on the reciprocal basis and subject to the compliance with the treaty’s provisions.

The note points out that the treaty introduces rules different from those set in the Russian legislation. The treaty envisages that assistance can be denied in case the provision thereof infringes on sovereignty, security, public order or other material interests of the requested party. Russia’s Criminal Code does not contain this ground for denying legal assistance.    

Besides, the treaty envisages rules regulating basic human and civil rights, among them guarantees to requested persons. Therefore, the treaty is subject to ratification.