Putin has allowed to ignore the priority of international law

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that allows the Constitutional Court to declare decisions of international courts, primarily the European Court of Human Rights, impracticable if their decisions contradict the Russian constitution.

The law amends the Federal Law “On the Constitutional Court of Russia”. The document was published on the official portal of legal information.

Now the Constitutional Court has received the right to completely and partially reject the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The State Duma adopted the corresponding bill 4 December. 9 December, it was approved by the Federation Council. Consideration of the draft law in the State Duma proceeded in an expedited manner: the document was submitted there on November 18.

The bill adopted by the Duma, according to the authors, should “ensure the legal sovereignty” of Russia and “resist biased decisions” of international courts.

In July, the Constitutional Court ruled that decisions of the ECHR on the territory of Russia can be executed only if they do not contradict the country's constitution. Then the Constitutional Court noted that usually there is no contradiction between the constitution and the Convention on Human Rights. However, if a contradiction arises, Russia will be forced to reject the decision of the European Court of Human Rights.

In June, more than 90 State Duma deputies appealed to the Constitutional Court for an explanation of how the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights should be applied in Russia.

A month earlier, the Ministry of Justice of Russia stated that they consider it premature to execute the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, according to which Russia have to pay former shareholders of Yukos 1,86 billion dollars.

Forum previously reported that in mid-June in Belgium и France court seized Russian assets. The decision was taken by the permanent chamber of the Arbitration Court in The Hague on claims of three companies (Hulley Enterprises, Yukos Universal Limited and Veteran Petroleum Ltd) representing the interests of the former shareholders of YUKOS.

Subsequently, some accounts in Belgium were unblocked, but the situation escalated into a diplomatic scandal: Moscow officially expressed protest and said the intention to appeal the arrests in court.