INCUMBENCY PROTECTS CRIMINALS.

One more reason why Dumamembers may not want to face the voters and possible defeatis that they would lose their parliamentary immunity fromcriminal prosecution. Russian prosecutors told Ogonek (no.23) that they had asked parliamentary immunity to be liftedin 334 cases during the last two years. In addition to highprofile cases like those involving Sergei Shakhrai andVladimir Zhirinovsky, the parliamentarians’ misdeedsincluded traffic violations, misuse of office, andhooliganism. According to the weekly, the most frequentoffenders were parliamentarians from Tatarstan and Mordovia.

China, Russia Reject Outside Guidance.