Russia's Constitutional Court is holding its first hearing under a new law designed to allow Moscow to disregard rulings by international courts.
Legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin in December 2015 allows Russia, in its eyes, to disregard rulings by courts including the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) if they are deemed to be in contravention of the Russian Constitution.
Legal experts at the Council of Europe have called for the legislation to be amended, saying it is “incompatible” with the country’s international obligations.
The case under examination pertains to two Russian convicts whose rights, the Strasbourg court found in 2013, were violated because they were denied the right to vote.
Russian law does not allow convicts to vote while serving their sentences.
A ruling is due in the coming weeks.
