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INDEX/CENSORSHIP DOSSIER VS ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION VLADIMIR PUTIN
Information on the actions of Vladimir Putin with regard to Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky

DEBATES

• Contributions in defence of Vladimir Putin's actions
• Contributions against

Contributions which, in the opinion of the editors assume the legal point of view are preceded by a gray strip, all the rest, by a blue one.

February 22, 2000

Only total legal illiteracy can provide "justification" for leveling any accusations against the acting president of Russia. Even more so, accusations which are offered as a topic of debate in the legal domain.

You have only to look into the Constitution of the Russian Federation to close down all your hearings. Article 91 of the Constitution reads: "The President of the Russian Federation shall possess immunity." That puts paid to all the debates.

February 22, 2000

The immunity of the President of the Russian Federation as per Article 91 of the Constitution is not synonymous with irresponsibility and total license.

First, this institution remains in force as long as the president is in office. Second, Article 93 of the Constitution does envisage a mechanism, albeit an extremely complicated one, for impeaching the president on charges of having committed a serious crime.

Third, even though we may not have a subject of criminal liability, there still remain certain actions that may be examined for their legality and such examination may lead to criminal proceedings over the fact of a crime etc.

Fourth, elections are coming up when everyone will have the opportunity to act as a kind of "witness for the prosecution" or "witness for the defence" by ticking off this or that name on the ballot.

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