Putin signed laws on the integration of occupied territories of Ukraine into russian judicial system

Russian dictator putin has signed a package of eight laws creating "courts" in the territory of the quasi-formations "LNR"/"DNR", as well as the seized parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts and the procedure for selecting candidates for their initial composition. These documents were published, russian media reported on April 3.

According to the first block of laws, "supreme and arbitration courts of the republics" are being created in the territories of the pseudo-republics "LNR"/"DNR", and "regional courts and arbitration courts of the regions" are being created in the occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts.

In addition, "garrison military courts, interdistrict, district and city courts" are being created in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Moreover, the procedure for transferring cases and complaints received but not yet considered by the "courts" currently in operation in these territories is determined. They will continue to "administer justice on behalf of the Russian Federation until the courts created in accordance with the adopted laws begin their activities".

In addition to this, another block of laws adopted in russia concerns "the procedure for selecting candidates for the initial composition of federal courts of general jurisdiction and the arbitration court". According to the new norms, candidates must meet the requirements of the law "On the Status of Judges in the Russian Federation".

It is noted that the law on the creation of "courts" in the "DNR" is to enter into force on April 20, 2023, and similar laws concerning the "LNR" and the occupied parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts are to enter into force on April 21, 2023.