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(CNN) – Russian lawmakers introduced a bill that could grant former presidents lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution beyond their terms, state news agency TASS reported Thursday.
Such a bill would give current President Vladimir Putin protection from prosecution if and when he decides to leave office.
Under current Russian law, presidents cannot be prosecuted for crimes committed while in office. The proposed change seeks to extend immunity beyond his terms of office to apply to crimes committed during the president’s lifetime.
It was tabled by a parliamentary group that evaluated Putin’s controversial constitutional amendments earlier this year.
“After the expiration of his mandate, said person has the right to have a level of protection and legal guarantees that is not lower than those granted to him while he was exercising presidential powers,” said Senator Andrey Klishas, co-chair group that presented the invoice, told TASS.
“This order acts as a guarantee against the unjustified persecution of the former head of state and recognizes the importance of his role in the general system of public power.”
The legislation must go through three readings in the lower house of the Russian parliament, a review in the upper house and then be signed by Putin to take effect.
Immunity
Among the first decrees Putin signed when he first took office in 2000 was a document granting immunity to former President Boris Yeltsin, who resigned and chose Putin as his successor.
The new bill also complicates the immunity revocation process by requiring that the accusation of high treason or other serious crimes be upheld by the Supreme and Constitutional courts, where justices are nominated by the president.
Then both houses of the Russian parliament must support the motion by a two-thirds majority.
Under current law, a former president could be stripped of immunity if the Investigation Committee initiates a criminal case for state treason or felony and receives support from both houses of parliament.
The latest legislation comes a week after Putin introduced another bill under his constitutional reforms that give former presidents a life seat in the upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council.
The proposed bills have sparked speculation about whether this could be a retirement plan for Putin, who has the option to stay in power until 2036 thanks to constitutional reforms passed this summer.
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on Thursday in a conference call with journalists that lifetime guarantees for former presidents are not “a novelty” in international law and follow constitutional amendments.
Peskov said on Friday that Putin is in good health and has no plans to resign.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “Russian lawmakers consider a bill that would grant Putin lifetime immunity from prosecution.”
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