MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law amending the procedures for criminal prosecution outside Russia.

Before these changes, the Criminal Procedure Code granted the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) the authority to independently decide on cooperation with foreign agencies if there was reason to believe that a crime committed in Russia involved a foreigner hiding abroad. The new legislation clarifies and expands this process: if, during a preliminary investigation, there are grounds to pursue such cooperation, the PGO is now required to request, "in accordance with an international treaty or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity," that foreign authorities prosecute the suspect or accused.

In cases where judicial investigation is already underway, the decision to transfer case materials to the PGO for international submission is now made by the court. The amendments also address situations where a suspect or accused has fled Russia. Previously, the law applied solely to Russian citizens facing prosecution abroad. Under the new rules, criminal prosecution in such cases can also proceed based on international treaties or the principle of reciprocity.

Historically, criminal prosecution outside Russia was not explicitly governed by criminal procedure law, and no clear procedure existed.

The authors of the initiative stated in their explanatory note that these legislative changes aim to strengthen the effectiveness and accountability of efforts to bring individuals hiding abroad to justice, reinforcing the principle that those evading prosecution will face inevitable liability.