The Assembly today called on Council of Europe member states "to recognize Vladimir Putin as illegitimate after the end of his current mandate and to cease all contact with him, except for contacts for humanitarian reasons and in the search for peace."
The rally highlighted that Vladimir Putin has been in power as president or prime minister since 2000. Changes to the Russian constitution in July 2020 extended his potential presidency until 2036, raising concerns about the lack of checks and balances. This, along with the growing crackdown on domestic opposition figures and Russia’s actions in Ukraine, make clear how costly the president’s unchecked power is.
"The overwhelming power of the president resulting from an unusually long term in office, coupled with the absence of any checks and balances such as a strong parliament, an independent judiciary, a free media and a vibrant civil society, has transformed the Russian Federation into a de facto dictatorship," the deputies said.
The Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution based on the report by Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, EPP/CD) and recalled the findings of the Council of Europe's Venice Commission that "the failure to limit the term of office of the President violates both the Russian Constitution and international legal principles."
The Assembly noted the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its consequences as evidence that dictatorships “pose a threat to international peace and security and to the territorial integrity and political independence of their neighbours”, as stated in Article 2 of the UN Charter. Consequently, parliamentarians reiterated that the restoration of democracy in Russia is in the best interest not only of the Russian people, but also of Europe and the world.
Finally, the Assembly reiterated its support for the establishment of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal “to hold the Russian leadership, including Vladimir Putin, accountable for its actions, starting with the illegal annexation of Crimea, the war in the Donbas region and the downing of flight MH17.”
pace.coe.int
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