Doc. 8107

4 May 1998

Russian law on the legal status of foreign citizens

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Kelam and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1. The Assembly notes with concern the law on the legal status of foreign citizens passed by the State Duma and by the Federation Council on 24 June 1997.

2. The Assembly notes that this law means that students from countries whose citizens need a visa for Russia, and who reside in Russia on the basis of a single non-immigration visa, have to apply for a visa to the Russian state authorities to allow them to leave the country.

3. The Assembly considers that this law contravenes the European Convention of Human Rights and its Protocols, and the Russian commitments upon accession.

4. The Assembly believes that this law should be annulled. It calls the Russian delegation to draw its concerns to the attention of the Russian Government and Parliament, and recommends that the Committee of Ministers discuss this issue at its next meeting.

Signed: (see overleaf)

Signed¹:

Kelam, Estonia, EPP/CD

Atkinson, United Kingdom, EDG

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Hagard, Sweden, EDG

Jeszenszky, Hungary, EDG

Lentz-Cornette, Luxembourg, EPP/CD

Mota Amaral, Portugal, EPP/CD

Nestor, Estonia, SOC

Pahor, Slovenia, SOC

Ragnarsdóttir, Iceland, EDG

Sole Tura, Spain, SOC

Verbeek, Netherlands, LDR

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic and Reformers Group

LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group