Caultron of Unwisdom: The Legislative Offensive on Insidious Foreign Influence in the Third Term of President Vladimir V. Putin, and ICCPR Recourse for Affect Civil Advocates

Part I discusses Russian and international statutory law. It briefly outlines the structure of the government of the Russian Federation and discusses relevant articles of its Constitution. It then illustrates the legislative trend in question by discussing select legislation passed and proposed during President Putin’s third term that seeks to restrict non-Russian influence in Russian society. Part I closes with a discussion of Russia’s international human rights obligations, and the international redress available to Russian nationals affected by the laws in question.

Part II considers the practical application of the laws discussed in Part I. This includes an examination of potential procedural issues relating to the complaint process a Russian national would have to navigate at one of the international human rights tribunals or treaty bodies founded under the conventions. Additionally, Part II briefly outlines international jurisprudence relevant to the prospect of Russian nationals’ success before the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Based on the interplay between the federal statutes in question and Russia’s international human rights obligations, this Note asserts in Part III that Russian nationals should file complaints to the UN Human Rights Committee. The Note also advocates for a progressive change to Russia’s domestic civil-political environment.

But in the absence of such a change, individuals affected by the legislation in question can seek recourse through the Committee’s individual complaint mechanism. Those petitioning would ideally include the heads of targeted civil society and human rights monitoring and advocacy groups.