<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday backed pending parliamentary legislation that would make it illegal for Americans to adopt Russian children in reprisal for a new Washington human rights law.<br /><br />“I understand that this was an emotional response by the State Duma, but I think that it was appropriate,” Putin told the first major press conference of his third term as president.<br /><br />He complained bitterly that local US courts had found several Americans not guilty of manslaughter charges following the death of Russian children under their care.<br /><br />The Russian legislation awaiting final approval in the Duma lower house of parliament on Friday is named in honour of a Russian child who suffocated in a locked car during the summer heat.<br /><br />“The judges will not even let us attend (the US trials) as observers,” Putin said.<br />Russia’s new legislation came about after US President Barack Obama signed last week into law the Magnitsky Act, named in honour of a lawyer who died in 2009 after blowing the whistle on a USD 235 police embezzlement scheme.<br /><br />Magnitsky died under pre-trial arrest that his mother said had exposed him to “torture conditions”.</p>.<p>Putin said the United States had no moral right to pass judgement on Russia’s legal system.<br /><br />“They themselves have plenty of problems,” Putin said of the United States.</p>
<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday backed pending parliamentary legislation that would make it illegal for Americans to adopt Russian children in reprisal for a new Washington human rights law.<br /><br />“I understand that this was an emotional response by the State Duma, but I think that it was appropriate,” Putin told the first major press conference of his third term as president.<br /><br />He complained bitterly that local US courts had found several Americans not guilty of manslaughter charges following the death of Russian children under their care.<br /><br />The Russian legislation awaiting final approval in the Duma lower house of parliament on Friday is named in honour of a Russian child who suffocated in a locked car during the summer heat.<br /><br />“The judges will not even let us attend (the US trials) as observers,” Putin said.<br />Russia’s new legislation came about after US President Barack Obama signed last week into law the Magnitsky Act, named in honour of a lawyer who died in 2009 after blowing the whistle on a USD 235 police embezzlement scheme.<br /><br />Magnitsky died under pre-trial arrest that his mother said had exposed him to “torture conditions”.</p>.<p>Putin said the United States had no moral right to pass judgement on Russia’s legal system.<br /><br />“They themselves have plenty of problems,” Putin said of the United States.</p>