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Senator might be stripped of immunity if prosecutors have valid reasons - speaker

Konstantin Tsybko was suspected of taking a 28-million-rouble bribe

MINSK, June 06, 5:00 /ITAR-TASS/. Speaker of the Federation Council upper house of Russia's parliament Valentina Matviyenko said the procedure to strip senator Konstantin Tsybko from the Chelyanbinsk region of immunity will be strictly in line with law, provided the investigators and prosecutors have valid reasons to make such a request.

On Monday, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said Tsybko was suspected of taking a 28-million-rouble bribe.

"We've received the prosecutor general's request to enable the investigation to look into his case," Matviyenio told reporters on Thursday.

The speaker said she had instructed two dedicated FC committees to consider the prosecutor's request. "If it cites enough reasons and conforms to legislation, and if they think that the request has to be acted upon, we'll strip Tsybko of immunity," she said.

She made it clear that "this by no means implies that Tsybko should be treated as a defendant." "Stripping a person of immunity just gives the right to conduct a probe without restrictions," Matviyenko said. "Nobody can accuse him of anything before completion of investigation or court ruling."

A FC source told Itar-Tass that the house committee on procedures might consider the prosecutor's request at the next meeting on June 17.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

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West views Europe as potential theater of military operations — Lukashenko

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