All co-authors of the bill withdrew their signatures
Senators Olga Bas (LPR), Ekaterina Altabayeva and Sergei Kolbin (Sevatopol) withdrew their names from the bill providing for the termination of citizenship of the Russian Federation acquired at birth for committing a number of serious crimes.
“I hereby withdraw my signature under the draft law No. 407652-8 submitted to the State Duma on July 21, 2023 “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation,” the parliamentarians’ letters to State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin read. Why Senator Tsekov considers the bill fair
Tsekov himself, in a conversation with the Daily Storm, admitted that the initiative is contrary to the Russian Constitution, but called it “necessary for society.” He also recalled that the law on citizenship, in turn, provides for the termination of citizenship for those who did not receive it by birthright, and for those who became a citizen by option (choosing citizenship – Gazeta).
In a conversation with Gazeta, the senator said that he did not know the reasons why the co-authors of the bill withdrew their signatures. He himself does not plan to do the same, but the decision of his colleagues “was not a surprise.”
“I have been in politics for 35 years, there is nothing surprising in this for me. My political life began in the late 80s. In 1990, I was a deputy of Ukraine, and only three people voted against the Declaration of State Sovereignty. And then I was the only one who opposed the act of independence of Ukraine. If I support something, I do it consciously,” he stressed.
“This is contrary to the Constitution.” Senators did not support the proposal to deprive citizenship by birth A group of senators representing the new territories of Russia submitted to the State Duma a bill that… However, they hoped for a more favorable attitude towards the bill.
The senator added that he “absolutely does not intend” to withdraw his signature.
“I think my proposal is correct. It is impossible to divide the citizens of Russia into citizens by birth and into citizens who became citizens as a result of reunification with Russia. We always wanted to go to Russia in Crimea. I think that we are generally one of the biggest patriots of Russia, but for some reason our citizenship can be terminated, but citizens by birth cannot,” Tsekov explained his position.
He also noted that it was important for him to pay attention to this problem. “I think that in the end the right decision will be made. Fair for all citizens of Russia. But when this happens, we’ll see,” the politician concluded.
Criticism of the bill
A bill allowing the removal of citizenship from Russians who discredited the Russian armed forces, deserted or called for extremism was submitted to the State Duma on July 21. On the same day, Andrei Klishas, head of the Federation Council committee on constitutional legislation and state building, warned that he would “advise senators to read the Constitution of the Russian Federation.” According to the basic law, a citizen of the country cannot be deprived of his citizenship or the right to change it (clause 3, article 6), he recalled.
“If a federal politician introduces a law that contradicts the Constitution, then for such a politician this is a serious reason to think about whether he can hold his position,” Klishas emphasized.
Pavel Krasheninnikov, head of the Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation, also criticized the amendments. “The rules of law are clear and understandable, we cannot support this, because citizenship is indivisible, it cannot be taken away,” the deputy pointed out.
The Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”
Despite the unambiguous interpretations of the Constitution, the law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” updated in April 2023 provides for the possibility of deprivation of citizenship of the Russian Federation for crimes of a terrorist nature, for committing actions that pose a threat to the national security of the country, for sabotage, facilitating sabotage activities and organizing a sabotage community, for violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, discrediting its armed forces, desertion and public calls for extremism and debauchery
In addition, the passport will be taken away for an encroachment on the life of a statesman or public figure, the destruction or damage to military graves and the rehabilitation of Nazism.
All these points do not apply to persons who have citizenship of the Russian Federation by birthright.