PACE wants Russia rewrite its laws

PACE rapporteur on the procedure for monitoring countries' commitments to the Council of Europe, Andres Herkel, addressed the State Duma of Russia with an appeal to revise the laws on defamation, foreign agents, the propaganda of homosexuality and the laws about the Internet. In addition, the parliamentarian of Estonia expressed a wish the Russian executive authorities should refrain from putting pressure on the judicial system.

The PACE rapporteur said that the court rulings against opposition leader Alexei Navalny and Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in jail, were politically motivated.

The report by Andres Herkel is to be considered on Tuesday.