Russian lawmaker: “Western justice — tool for persecution"

Chairman of Russia’s State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin has accused Western legal systems of being politicised, as a new Russian law came into force allowing the use of the armed forces to "protect Russian citizens facing legal action abroad."

Volodin said that “Western ‘justice’ has completely discredited itself, becoming a tool for the persecution of those who disagree with the decisions of European officials," Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

He added that “the norms and principles of international law, designed to protect individuals, have been devalued by the West and are applied selectively only to those who pander to European pseudo-democracy.”

His comments came as a new law took effect on June 5 authorising the deployment of the Russian Armed Forces in cases where Russian citizens are arrested, prosecuted, or otherwise subject to legal proceedings in foreign countries.

Volodin emphasised the government’s stated intention to protect nationals abroad, saying: “We are doing everything to ensure that our citizens abroad are protected.”

By Sabina Mammadli