General Department of International Legal Cooperation

Until 1996 the functions of international cooperation within the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation were assigned to the International Legal Division.

In February 1996, the International Legal Department was formed within the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation which included the Treaty and Law Division and the Protocol Division, and subsequently incorporated the Extradition Division, the Division for Execution of International Investigative Requests, and the Second Extradition Division.

The next step in the organization of work pertaining to the international cooperation of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation was the establishment of the General Department of International Legal Cooperation comprising three departments, namely the Extradition Department, the Legal Assistance Department and the International Law Department, in June 2006.

Considering that the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation was entrusted with the powers to ensure the representation and protection of the interests of the Russian Federation in interstate bodies, foreign and international (interstate) courts, foreign and international arbitration courts, new departments were formed within the General Department of International Legal Cooperation in July 2021.

At present, the General Department of International Legal Cooperation includes as follows:

· Extradition Department consisting of three divisions;

· Legal and Law Enforcement Assistance Department comprising three divisions;

· Organizational and Legal Department containing four divisions;

· Major Cases International Cooperation Division (acting as a department)

· Department for Operation of the Representative of the Russian Federation at the European Court of Human Rights consisting of five divisions;

· International Disputes Support Department incorporating two divisions;

· Division (Foreign Office) of Ensuring Representation and Protection of the Interests of the Russian Federation in Interstate Bodies, Foreign and International (Interstate) Courts, Foreign and International Arbitration Courts (acting as a department) (located in Strasbourg, French Republic);

· Documental Support Division.

The main functions of the Extradition Department are as follows.

It considers and organizes the execution of requests from the foreign competent authorities pertaining to the extradition of individuals for criminal prosecution or enforcement of judgments of conviction.

It arranges the preparation and transmission of requests pertaining to the extradition of individuals for criminal prosecution or enforcement of judgments of conviction, to foreign states.

It runs the work regarding the reception and transfer to the Russian Federation of mentally disabled individuals in respect of whom there is a judicial decision on compulsory medical measures.

It interacts with the INTERPOL National Central Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation regarding the issues of international search with a view to arresting and extraditing individuals for criminal prosecution or enforcement of judgments of conviction.

The main function of the Legal and Law Enforcement Assistance Department is as follows.

It carries out the fulfillment of obligations and implementation of rights arising out of international treaties and the laws of the Russian Federation pertaining to rendering international legal assistance in criminal matters and cases of administrative offenses, as well as international law enforcement assistance.

The main functions of the Organizational and Legal Department are as follows.

It ensures the establishment, development and coordination of relations between the bodies and organizations of the Prosecution Service of the Russian Federation and foreign competent authorities, organizations, institutions, international bodies and organizations.

It organizes the participation of representatives of the bodies and organizations of the Prosecution Service of the Russian Federation in international activities held in the Russian Federation and abroad.

It ensures the development of the treaty and legal framework for participating the bodies and organizations of the Prosecution Service of the Russian Federation in international cooperation.

It provides the organizational, informational and analytical and methodological support for the activities of the prosecutorial authorities in international cooperation, and ensures the participation in law-making activities, legal education, and in raising awareness on the international cooperation issues in the manner prescribed by the organizational and regulatory instruments of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation.

It provides interpretation and translation from foreign languages and the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation into the Russian language, as well as from the Russian language into foreign languages.

The main function of the Major Cases International Cooperation Division (acting as a department) is as follows.

It cooperates with the foreign competent authorities and international organizations in the field of extradition and legal assistance pertaining to major criminal cases.

The main function of the Department for Operation of the Representative of the Russian Federation at the European Court of Human Rights is as follows.

It provides legal and organizational support for operation of the Representative of the Russian Federation at the European Court of Human Rights.

The main function of the International Disputes Support Department is as follows.

Pursuant to an instruction of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, it ensures the representation and protection of the interests of the Russian Federation in interstate bodies, foreign and international (interstate) courts, foreign and international arbitration courts, excluding the European Court of Human Rights.

The main function of the Division (Foreign Office) of Ensuring Representation and Protection of the Interests of the Russian Federation in Interstate Bodies, Foreign and International (Interstate) Courts, Foreign and International Arbitration Courts (acting as a department) is as follows.

It performs assignments stemming from the interaction with the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the structures thereof, and foreign permanent missions in Strasbourg.