MOSCOW, March 14 - RAPSI. The bureau of the supreme council of A Just Russia has voted to expell former MP Gennady Gudkov stripped of his mandate last year and his son Dmitry who is a lawmaker now from the party.
Only Oleg Nilov, who had previously proposed suspending Gennady Gudkov's authority and reconsidering his role in the party, voted against expelling him.
The State Duma stripped Gennady Gudkov of his mandate last year after the investigative authorities accused him of engaging in commercial activities - a violation of a law on a legislator's activities. According to current Russian legislation, deputies are not permitted to be involved in business.
Gudkov, who took part in the protest rallies last December, has denied the charges.
Last January, party leaders suggested that Gennady and Dmitry Gudkovs take a month to decide whether they want to be involved in the party or in the coordinating council of the opposition.
The bureau considered the lawmakers' participation in the protest against the Dima Yakovlev Law banning adoptions of Russian children by US parents on January 13 inappropriate and recommended that other party members refrain from similar campaigns.
Dmitry Gudkov said that he and his father are neither going to give up their party membership nor stop their work in the coordinating council.
It was reported earlier this month that Dmitry Gudkov traveled to the US to speak at a forum of the Freedom House human rights organization where he proposed that American politicians take action to influence corrupt officials in Russia, including State Duma members.
A Just Russia leader Sergei Mironov claims he was not aware of Gudkov's trip before the media reported it.