MOSCOW, July 23 (RAPSI) - More than 100 Russian orphans, who have not been adopted by Americans because of the Dima Yakovlev law, found adoptive parents in Russia, Children's Rights Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov told journalists on Tuesday.

"On June 3, we got a note from the US Department of State, containing the list of 259 children. We checked it and explained then that 116 children from this list have long been living in other families, and we can't take them from their families even as an exception from the Dima Yakovlev law. US agreed with us," ombudsman said.

The Dima Yakovlev law prohibiting US nationals from adopting Russian children was signed by President Vladimir Putin in late 2012 and came into force in January 2013. 21-month-old Dima Yakovlev died in July 2008 after his adoptive father Michael Harrison left him in a locked car in a parking lot for nine hours. Harrison was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter.

The Dima Yakovlev law was also adopted in response to the US Magnitsky Act, blacklisting alleged US rights abusers for entry to Russia and providing for the seizure of their assets and the suspension of their companies' operations in Russia.

On Dec. 6, 2012, the US Senate approved the Magnitsky Act, to severe criticism from the Russian State Duma, stipulating visa sanctions for Russians who are believed by the Senate to have been involved in human rights violations.