Lukin: amnesty bill to be passed in first reading on December 17, in final reading before December 25

MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) – The State Duma may pass the amnesty bill before December 25, Russian Human Rights Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin told Interfax on Thursday.

“We have reached an agreement with the State Duma administration: they hope to pass the draft resolution on the amnesty in the first reading on December 17. It will be possible to speak about amendments after the first reading. I will present my amendments to the text after December 17,” Lukin said.

“The State Duma should adopt the amnesty resolution in the period from today till December 25, when the constitution entered into force. If they hold the first reading on [December] 17, then a week after the first reading there will be the third reading, the signing and the publishing and concrete work on the fulfillment of this resolution will begin,” Lukin said.

[featured images are file photos]