Law & Legislation

Federation Council approves jail terms for insulting religion

The Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, has approved a bill introducing criminal liability for insulting the feelings of religious devotees, stipulating a punishment of up to three years behind bars.

17:46 26.06.2013

Russia's upper house approves gay propaganda bill

Russia's upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, has approved a bill introducing administrative liability with fines of up to 1 million rubles ($30,990) for promoting non-traditional sexual relationships among children, particularly via the media, the Internet, and viral advertising.

17:26 26.06.2013

Federation Council bans adoptions by foreign gay couples

The Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, on Wednesday approved a bill banning foreign same-sex couples from adopting Russian children, already adopted by the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament.

17:08 26.06.2013

Planned economic amnesty will not free Khodorkovsky - expert

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former CEO of YUKOS, once Russia's largest oil company, who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for stealing oil and laundering the proceeds, will not be released in the planned financial amnesty.

15:46 26.06.2013

Federation Council sets up working group to investigate online data leaks

The Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, will establish an intra-agency working group to investigate user data leaks to US intelligence agencies.

15:17 26.06.2013

Government proposes expanding legal basis for surprise NGO inspections

The government has proposed new legislation setting out additional reasons for conducting surprise inspections of non-profit organizations.

13:35 26.06.2013

Finance Ministry sponsors tougher punishment for Ponzi players

The Ministry of Finance has proposed amendments aimed at bringing the organizers and most active players of Ponzi schemes to liability even before the pyramid collapses.

11:17 26.06.2013

Government commission approves bill protecting workers from employer bankruptcy

The Government Legislative Commission has approved a bill aimed at encouraging employers to pay their staff on time in the event of bankruptcy, the government said on its website on Monday.

12:53 25.06.2013

Presidential bill on economic amnesty submitted to Duma

A draft law on granting amnesties for economic crimes initiated by President Vladimir Putin has been submitted to the State Duma, according to a statement posted on its website on Tuesday.

12:24 25.06.2013

Russian MP proposes prosecuting individuals who justify Nazi crimes

State Duma deputy Irina Yarovaya, together with a group of supporters from the All-Russia People's Front, has proposed adding an article to the Criminal Code stipulating fines and prison terms for trying to deny or justify Nazi crimes and criminals, or for condemning the anti-Hitler coalition's actions.

12:25 24.06.2013

Top news

Russian courts allowed not to implement rulings of Europe's human rights court

Russia's Supreme Court proposed not to implement rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

12:53 09.12.2025

Redomiciliation stalls: How sanctions are shaping new practices for Russian companies

The mechanism for redomiciliating foreign companies to Russian jurisdiction, in effect since 2018, has recently encountered serious obstacles. Taking into account the background of sanctions-related restrictions introduced in 2022 through 2025, it has become extremely difficult to achieve the goal. The situation gave rise to the phenomenon of dual domicile and led to a rise in the number of new litigations, both in Russia and abroad.

12:32 09.12.2025

Soldiers jailed for killing US journalist Russell Bentley

A military court in Donetsk sentenced three soldiers to up to 12 years in prison for torturing and killing Russell Bentley, a 63-year-old U.S. national who collaborated with Sputnik news agency.

14:05 08.12.2025