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| Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia |
| Native name | Прокуратура Российской Федерации |
| Formed | 1722 |
| Preceding1 | Collegium of Justice |
| Jurisdiction | Russian Federation |
| Headquarters | Moscow |
| Chief1 name | (See "Appointment and Tenure of the Prosecutor General") |
| Parent agency | (constitutional institution) |
Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia is the federal prosecutorial authority responsible for supervising the uniform application of federal laws across the Russian Federation, overseeing investigators, and representing the state in certain judicial proceedings. The institution traces its lineage to imperial reforms and Soviet legal administration, and it operates within a constitutional and statutory framework that connects it to executive, legislative, and judicial institutions. As an enduring organ of public prosecution, the office interacts with numerous domestic and international bodies, shaping law enforcement, criminal procedure, and administrative oversight.
The office originates with reforms of Peter the Great, including the creation of the Collegium of Justice and the imperial bureaucratic system that produced later incarnations under the Russian Empire and the Provisional Government (Russia). During the October Revolution, prosecutorial functions were reconfigured by the Soviet of People's Commissars and codified under the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Post-World War II developments and the Stalin era altered prosecutorial practice alongside institutions such as the NKVD and the KGB. The office was re-established in modern form following the dissolution of the USSR, influenced by constitutional debates in the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis and the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993). Subsequent reforms under presidents Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin reshaped prosecutorial oversight, interacting with institutions like the State Duma (Russian Federation), the Federation Council (Russia), and the Presidential Administration of Russia.
The office's central apparatus in Moscow coordinates regional prosecutor offices in the Federal districts of Russia, subordinate to republican and oblast-level prosecutors in entities such as the Republic of Tatarstan, Moscow Oblast, and Krasnodar Krai. Departments align with codified procedures in the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation, addressing spheres connected to agencies such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia), the Investigative Committee of Russia, and the Federal Security Service. Specialized divisions deal with economic crime, corruption, human rights oversight, environmental law linked to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Russia), and military prosecution interfacing with the Ministry of Defence (Russia) and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The office maintains liaison with supranational actors like the International Criminal Court and regional bodies such as the Council of Europe through legal cooperation units.
Statutorily empowered to supervise legality under the Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993) and federal statutes, the office exercises oversight over enforcement agencies including the Federal Customs Service (Russia), the Federal Taxation Service (Russia), and the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media. It initiates criminal prosecution in courts such as the Moscow City Court and represents the state before the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The office can present interpretative positions affecting application of laws like the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation and the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (Part I–IV), and it supervises legality of detention practices aligned with rulings from bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights and treaties like the European Convention on Human Rights. Powers include launching investigations, supervising pretrial proceedings under the Criminal Procedure Code, lodging cassation appeals, and issuing directives to subordinate prosecutors in regions such as Saint Petersburg and Novosibirsk Oblast.
The Prosecutor General is nominated by the President of Russia and confirmed by the Federation Council (Russia) for a term established in federal law; removal involves presidential initiative and parliamentary procedures that echo interactions with the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. Historically, figures such as Yury Chaika and Igor Krasnov have held the office, with tenures reflecting political contexts shaped by presidencies of Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin. Tenure and dismissal have intersected with legislative scrutiny by the State Duma (Russian Federation) and legal review by the Prosecutor General's Office itself, generating debates involving entities like the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and public watchdogs including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
The office has been prominent in high-profile prosecutions and oversight actions involving cases tied to anti-corruption campaigns referenced alongside institutions such as the Investigative Committee of Russia and the Federal Security Service. It led prosecutions in matters involving business figures associated with Yukos, disputes implicating Gazprom, and cases touching on regional elites in Chechnya and the North Caucasus. The office has instituted lawsuits concerning election disputes involving the Central Election Commission (Russia), supervised cases linked to events like the 2011–2013 Russian protests, and participated in legal actions related to sanctions imposed by bodies such as the United States Department of the Treasury and the European Union. It has also conducted environmental prosecutions referencing projects near the Baikal region and oversight concerning infrastructure projects like the Crimean Bridge.
Critics including non-governmental organizations like Transparency International and media outlets such as Novaya Gazeta have alleged politicization in prosecutorial decisions, raising issues tied to freedom of expression cases involving individuals associated with Memorial (society), journalists such as Anna Politkovskaya, and opposition figures like Alexei Navalny. Concerns have been raised about the office's relationship with security services including the Federal Security Service and the impact on judicial independence in venues like the Moscow City Court. International bodies including the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights have issued findings and judgments prompting debate about compliance with obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. Domestic legal scholars from institutions such as Moscow State University and Higher School of Economics have published critiques concerning prosecutorial discretion and oversight mechanisms.
The office engages in mutual legal assistance with counterparts such as the Ministry of Justice (Russia), the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (historically), the United States Department of Justice, and prosecutorial services within the European Union. It has negotiated extradition and cooperation agreements with states including Belarus, Kazakhstan, and China, and participated in multilateral forums like meetings of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and interactions with the Interpol Secretariat. International scrutiny from entities like the International Criminal Court and human rights institutions has influenced practice, while bilateral cooperation has continued with legal services in countries such as Germany, France, and Italy on matters ranging from organized crime to asset recovery.
Category:Law enforcement in Russia Category:Legal history of Russia