MOSCOW, February 17 (RAPSI) – The State Duma has ratified an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition of criminals between Russia and Turkey.

The treaty was signed in Ankara on December 1, 2014 for development of the international legal base of the Russian-Turkish cooperation in this field.

Under the agreement, parties are obliged to afford mutual legal assistance in investigations, court proceedings and other procedural actions related to criminal cases. Parties also undertake to extradite persons wanted for extraditable offences for their further criminal prosecution or execution of sentence.

Extraditable offences are criminally liable actions which result in prison sentences upwards of one year, in accordance with legislation of both countries.

The treaty includes rules different from those set in the Russian legislation, an explanatory note to the document reads. In particular, the agreement stipulates that legal assistance may be denied if the party in question considers that the request’s fulfillment can infringe on its sovereignty, security, public order or other material interests. Russia’s Criminal Procedure Code does not contain this reason for non-cooperation.