Latest news with #RussianProsecutorGeneral'sOffice
The Star
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Russian prosecutor general in Cambodia for first time, days after high profile extradition
Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov (second from left) and Supreme Court Prosecutor General Chea Leang, during the former's visit to Cambodia. - Russian prosecutor's office PHNOM PENH: Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov is on a working visit to Cambodia from 26-27. He is the highest-level visitor in the history of law enforcement cooperation between the two nations, and his arrival comes just days after former businessman Heng Sithy was extradited to the kingdom from Russia. Krasnov was welcomed by Chea Leang, Cambodia's Prosecutor General at the Supreme Court, as well as the leadership of the Ministry of Justice. In Phnom Penh, Krasnov laid wreaths at the Independence Monument and the monument to the late King Norodom Sihanouk. He will hold talks with the heads of relevant authorities and discuss issues of bilateral cooperation with other officials. A number of documents which will help strengthen and develop relations will also be signed, according to a press release from the Russian prosecutor's office. According to the release, the relation between Russian supervisory agencies and the Cambodian authorities began more than 10 years ago, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the Russian Prosecutor General's Office and the justice ministry was signed in 2016. Former businessman Heng Sithy has been extradited to Cambodia. - FN It added that in September last year, on the sidelines of the 9th Eastern Economic Forum, Krasnov and Leang signed an interdepartmental MoU on cooperation, which became the foundation for activating joint measures to ensure the rule of law and protect the rights of citizens. The high-level visit began two days after Russian authorities returned Heng Sithy to Cambodia to face charges of aggravated blackmail. Following a series of public spats with officials, former high-profile businessman Sithy was arrested in Russia in January. On the night of May 24, at the request of the justice ministry, Sithy was transferred to Cambodia. An Interpol red alert had been placed on the former businessman. Sithy has publicly accused Sar Sokha, Minister of Interior, Hun To, a prominent Okhna, and Sar Thet, Commissioner-General of the National Police, of actively working to protect online criminals in Cambodia. His allegations have been repeatedly refuted by the interior ministry, the national police and Hun To, who deemed them 'fabricated information with malicious intent aimed at misleading the public'. Justice ministry spokesperson Seng Dyna told The Post that Sithy's return was in line with a 2017 extradition treaty signed by Cambodia and Russia, and followed a court-ordered arrest warrant. Sithy has been charged with aggravated blackmail pursuant to articles 372 and 374 of the Criminal Code. The law stipulates a jail term of between five and 10 years. Regarding Krasnov's visit, Dyna explained that the ministry will issue an outcome statement following the visit. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump set to push Putin to end the 'bloodbath' in Ukraine in high-stakes phone call
President Donald Trump is set to speak Monday with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in what he said is an attempt to stop the 'bloodbath' of the war in Ukraine. Trump said the call would be taking place at 10 a.m. — although he did not specify whether this was on Eastern Daylight Time or in another time zone. He said he would also be speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as members of NATO. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia 'highly values' and is 'grateful to the American side.' In a briefing with journalists, he said that if the U.S. can 'help to achieve our goals through peaceful means, then this is indeed preferable.' Peskov was also asked about the chance of Trump and Putin meeting in person, a possibility floated by the American president Friday. 'It will largely depend on what they themselves decide,' Peskov said. The meeting 'needs to be worked out' by the two leaders in terms of dates and other details, he added. Ahead of the much anticipated Trump-Putin call, leaders from Britain, France, Germany and Italy said they spoke Sunday with Trump. The British government said in a statement that it was urging 'Putin to take peace talks seriously.' Those leaders 'also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously in a ceasefire and peace talks,' the statement said — something Trump has previously threatened. 'Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe,' French President Emmanuel Macron said on X. Trump has been widely criticized for appearing to offer concessions to Russia while demanding sacrifices from Ukraine. Those voices were joined last week by former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who gave details of why she stepped down last month. 'The policy since the beginning of the Trump administration has been to put pressure on the victim, Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia,' she wrote in an opinion piece Friday for the Detroit Free Press. 'Peace at any price is not peace at all ― it is appeasement,' she said, adding that 'we must show leadership in the face of aggression, not weakness or complicity.' While the diplomatic activity carries on, the violence in Ukraine continues. Russia has continued its near-nightly drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian civilians, more than three years after it launched a full-scale invasion and tried to seize Kyiv. On Sunday, Russia shelled residential neighborhoods of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kherson, killing a 75-year-old woman and injuring two other people, the city council posted on the Telegram messaging site. As well as being widely blamed for launching an unprovoked war, Russia is condemned across the West for the highly repressive and authoritarian state fashioned by Putin's Kremlin. On Monday, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office labeled one of those critics, Amnesty International, as an "undesirable organization" and effectively banned it. The authority accused the London-based human rights watchdog of being "Russophobic," trying to prolong the war, wanting to "justify the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis" and its staffers of supporting "extremist organizations." Trump, who has often spoken warmly of Putin, rarely if ever mentions these human rights concerns. Trump said in a Truth Social post Saturday that he would be speaking with Putin at 10 a.m. Monday with the purpose of 'stopping the 'bloodbath' that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week.' NBC News has not independently verified the numbers that Trump cited. Apparently referring both to his planned call with Putin and his slated talks with Zelenskyy and other European leaders, Trump added that 'hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end.' Despite promising on multiple occasions to end the war in 24 hours of taking office, Trump has since found the reality much different since beginning his second term. U.S.-brokered negotiations saw Russia and Ukrainian delegations meet in person in Istanbul last week for the first time since the early days of the war. However the demands of the two sides remain far apart: with Russia saying it will only sign a truce if Ukraine effectively surrenders. Ukraine says these demands are unacceptable. On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance met with Zelenskyy while on a trip to Rome during which Rubio and Vance were received by Pope Leo XIV. Direct communication between Trump and Putin has caused some unease in Europe, where foreign policy experts have criticized the American president's apparent desire to bypass NATO allies impacted by the outcome. Even so, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, thanked Vance for his engagement with the conflict during a meeting in Rome, emphasizing how important she felt it was that "things are moving forward, and I think the next week will be crucial on that." This article was originally published on
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia declares Elton John AIDS Foundation undesirable organisation
Russia's Office of the Prosecutor General has declared the Elton John AIDS Foundation an "undesirable" organisation. Source: Russian Prosecutor General's Office; Meduza, a Latvia-based Russian news outlet; Radio Liberty Details: The Prosecutor General's Office believes that the organisation, supposedly under the guise of humanitarian projects, "closely cooperates with international institutions that promote the idea of an economic blockade of Russia". They also accused the foundation of supposedly promoting non-traditional sexual relations, "Western family models", gender reassignment, as well as a negative attitude towards so-called "traditional spiritual and moral values" and "the West's information campaign to defame Russia" after the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine. The Elton John AIDS Foundation was founded by British singer Elton John in 1992 in the United States, and in 1993 – in the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's largest AIDS charities. The Russian authorities have declared the activities of more than 200 foreign organisations undesirable. This means a ban on their activities in the country and the threat of prosecution for people who cooperate with them. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Russia Today
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Putin issues warning to foreign mercenaries
Foreign mercenaries fighting for Kiev should be aware that they do not have the same legal protections under international law as regular Ukrainian combatants, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit to the Kursk Region. Speaking at a meeting with the Russian General Staff and military commanders on Wednesday, the president stated that any Ukrainian soldier or foreign mercenary captured on Russian soil should be 'treated as a terrorist under Russian law.' 'All people who commit crimes against the civilian population on the territory of the Kursk Region, confront our Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies and special services, are terrorists in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation,' Putin said. 'This is how the Russian Prosecutor General's Office and the Investigative Committee qualify their actions.' Putin emphasized that Russia 'treats and will treat all people humanely,' including prisoners of war (POWs), but specifically warned that mercenaries lack the same legal status as regular troops. 'I still want to remind you that foreign mercenaries are not protected by the 1949 Geneva Convention on POWs,' the Russian leader said. The Russian border region faced a major incursion by Kiev's forces in August 2024, and Moscow's troops have been gradually pushing them back in an operation that has intensified in recent weeks. In liberated areas, Russian investigators have found evidence of Ukrainian troops committing rape, torture, and murder against local civilians during the occupation. Foreign mercenaries have also played an active role in Ukraine's incursions, according to Russian authorities, who have repeatedly warned that any troops supporting Kiev will be considered 'legitimate targets.' Under the Third Geneva Convention, regular combatants fighting for a recognized party in a conflict are granted protections if captured by the opposing side. POW status guarantees them access to shelter, food, medical care, and protection from hostilities, as well as safeguards against violence, intimidation, and degrading treatment. They also cannot be prosecuted simply for taking part in hostilities, unless they have committed war crimes. However, Article 47 of Additional Protocol I to the convention explicitly excludes mercenaries from being classified as regular combatants, meaning they are not entitled to POW status. Russian authorities have consistently prosecuted foreign mercenaries fighting for Kiev. In January, a Russian court sentenced retired U.S. Army Ranger Patrick Creed to 13 years in prison for serving with Ukraine's armed forces between 2022 and 2023. In March, British citizen James Scott Rhys Anderson was sentenced to 19 years behind bars by a Russian court after being convicted of crimes against civilians in the Kursk Region.
