Putin Signs Law Allowing Russia to Ignore Rulings by Foreign and International Courts

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has signed a law that effectively allows Russia to disregard rulings by foreign and international courts in criminal cases conducted without Moscow’s participation.

According to Current Time on December 29, under the new legislation, decisions issued by foreign courts with criminal jurisdiction will no longer be enforceable in Russia if the proceedings took place without the involvement of the Russian state. The law also bars the enforcement of rulings by international judicial bodies whose jurisdiction is not based on an international treaty or a United Nations Security Council resolution.

Previously, Vladimir Gruzdev, head of the Russian Association of Lawyers, said the law would apply, among other things, to verdicts issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), as reported by the outlet. According to Ilya Rachkov, a partner at the NSP law firm, the restrictions could also extend to a potential special tribunal addressing Russia’s crimes against Ukraine.

In March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Russia’s children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of responsibility for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. The court later issued arrest warrants for Russian Security Council Secretary and former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Commander of Russia’s Long-Range Aviation Sergei Kobylyash, and former Black Sea Fleet commander Viktor Sokolov.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

The Court That Will Try Putin in The Hague: What the Special Tribunal Is and Why It Matters

Jun 25, 2025 23:04

In a further escalation, a Russian court on December 12 sentenced the ICC prosecutor and eight ICC judges in absentia to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 15 years. They were accused of allegedly initiating unlawful criminal proceedings, ordering illegal detention, and preparing attacks against individuals under international protection.

Earlier, Current Time reported that Russia’s Justice Ministry has formally designated the International Federation for Human Rights as an “undesirable organization.”

Support our team with a one-time or monthly donation

Every day we fight Russian disinformation and bring reports directly from the frontlines. Your help makes us stronger.

SUPPORT