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The law ensures Putin and other presidents a lifetime seat on the Federation Council, which is the upper house of the Russian National Assembly.
The members of the Federation Council and their immediate family members are not only guaranteed immunity from prosecution, but also cannot be questioned by the police or other investigators, arrested or subjected to house searches.
Russia’s constitution ensured such immunity for former presidents, but not after they left the presidency.
The president’s new immunity is part of constitutional amendments overwhelmingly approved in a referendum last summer.
The changes also allow the 68-year-old Putin, who has been president and prime minister for two decades, to remain president until 2036.
The lower house of the National Assembly also approved on Tuesday an amendment to the law making it illegal to obtain or share information about employees within the Russian prosecution and judiciary, within the police and security service, or within the Russian defense.
This law change must also be signed by Putin, but this is considered a formality.
