MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Arrests of Russian citizens upon Washington’s requests mar bilateral relations and this exterritorial practice has become a trend for the United States, Russian Foreign Ministry’s commissioner for human rights, democracy and rule of law Konstantin Dolgov said on Friday.
"As for protecting the rights of Russian citizens abroad, the situation is difficult, millions of Russians continue traveling abroad," Dolgov said. "Many work there, and this creates potential risks," he added.
"For example, the US actions on extraterritorial application of its legislation," the diplomat said. "The US laws are the most important thing for them, and they believe that the entire world should live upon these laws. They force third countries to arrest our citizens."
The arrested Russians are then sent to the United States, he said, adding that the cases of Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko who are serving lengthy jail terms in the US are not just isolated instances but already "a trend."
"This mars bilateral relations directly," he said.