Russian Law Talks 4 recording now available!

The seminar ‘Russian Law Talks 4 – Protection of Foreign Investment in Russia’ was held on the 12th of May 2021.

Watch the seminar here:

https://www2.helsinki.fi/fi/unitube/video/e5515693-3669-4afc-aa2c-3c790de499d0

The original description of the event:

In 2020, Russian regulators made further steps at creating an attractive regime for doing business. According to the World Bank, Russia has improved its business climate (it climbed three places and now ranks 28 out of 190 countries). At the same time, foreign investments in Russia plummeted. The flow of foreign direct investment in Russia has decreased 96% in 2020 ($1.4 billion in 2020 compared to $29 billion in 2019). This trend partly reflects the global decline of foreign direct investments on 42% in 2020 influenced by the COVID-19. In 2020, Russian legislation introduced new measures aimed at easing the life of foreign investors. The measures ranged from substantive law changes to shaping a new regime for dispute resolution. The experts will talk about the current trends in regulations affecting foreign investment in Russia, including the introduction of Agreements on protection and encouragement of investments into Russian Law, and the arbitration reform.

Main presentation:

Leonid Kropotov, PhD, Legal Director at DLA Piper

Leonid is a legal director at international law firm DLA Piper. He has over 15 years’ experience in handling cross-border disputes (both litigation and arbitration) and M&A transactions. Leonid is an author of a monography on investments and a series of articles on international arbitration. He is holding PhD in Law from St. Petersburg State University and teaches there a post-graduate course and a master program on resolution of international disputes, investments and M&A.

Vladimir Talanov, Counsel at Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners

Vladimir is a Counsel at Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners Law Offices. He is a recognized expert in international trade law and provides clients with support in structuring international investment projects. Vladimir took part in developing a number of federal laws, including the Federal Law “On Industrial Policy in the Russian Federation” and the Federal Law “On Protection and Encouragement of Investment in the Russian Federation”. Alongside his law practice, Vladimir teaches at the National Research University “Higher School of Economics” and St. Petersburg State University, where he lectures on public international law, international trade, cross-border dispute settlement and regional economic integration.

Watch the seminar here:

https://www2.helsinki.fi/fi/unitube/video/e5515693-3669-4afc-aa2c-3c790de499d0

Russian Law Talks 3 recording now available!

Russian Law Talks 3 – Foreign Agents 2.0: Civil Society, New Legislation on the NGOs and Educational Activities in Russia – recording now available!

 

The seminar ‘Russian Law Talks 3 – Foreign Agents 2.0’ was held on the 19th of April 2021.

Watch the seminar here:

https://www2.helsinki.fi/fi/unitube/video/80bc7341-0baa-4e44-b1b2-4c2d6595a02c

The original description of the event:

At the turn of 2020-2021 a series of bills broadening the oppressive “foreign agents” legislation, first introduced in 2012, were passed by the Russian State Duma. The new laws expand the scope of individuals and groups that can be designated “foreign agents,” introduce new restrictions and registration and reporting requirements, and oblige the media to note the designation whenever they mention these individuals or groups. Educational activities — which are now defined as any activities aimed at «intellectual, spiritual, moral, creative, physical and professional development of a person» shall be controlled by the government.

A team of NGO representatives and scholars will discuss the situation and the prospects of the Russian civil society under the new restrictive legislation.

Speakers

Alla Chikinda, Resource center for LGBT

Alla Chikinda is a communications manager in Resource center for LGBT based in Yekaterinburg, Russia. It is one of the strongest local LGBT organisations in Russia, working since 2014. Alla is responsible for external communications, notably with the media on local, national and international level, as well as potential partners and allies for Resource center. In 4 years Alla has established strong links with many well-known media and ensured that every year there are over 150 mentions of Resource center in various sources. Among the media outlets writing about the work and achievements of Resource center are Novaya gazeta, Takie dela, Radio liberty, Meduza and BBC Russian service. Ms Chikinda has also contributed to the visibility of Resource center among NGOs in Yekaterinburg and its region, taking part in and organising various  talks, podcasts and other public events.

https://www.facebook.com/alla.chikinda/

Diana Barsegyan, communications specialist at Nasiliu.net Center

Diana graduated from The Russian State University of Cinematography with a degree in screenwriting in 2018. She became an employee of the ‘Nasiliu.net’ Center in the summer of 2020. During her work, she participated in organizing discussions for experts in the field of domestic violence, organized awareness campaigns about the problem of domestic violence,  participated in a promo campaign related to the release of the center’s own clothing line. Diana took part in the filming of a video about gender equality ‘Girls are such girls’, the video can be seen on the Center’s YouTube channel. Diana also regularly communicates with journalists on behalf of the Сenter: during her work she gave comments or interviews to dozens of newspapers and magazines.

https://www.facebook.com/diana.endtitles

Tatiana Glushkova, HRC “Memorial”

Tatiana Glushkova holds a degree in law from Lomonosov Moscow State University (2011). She works as a lawyer at Human Rights Centre “Memorial” (Moscow, Russia). In this capacity she represents applicants before the European Court of Human Rights in cases brought against Russia on matters including right to life, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, right to respect for private and family life, right to non-discrimination. Tatiana engages in international advocacy before the UN and the Council of Europe bodies. In 2018 she was elected as a board member of HRC “Memorial”.

https://www.facebook.com/glush.tat/

Maria Davidenko, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Higher School of Economics, Moscow

Maria Davidenko is an Assistant Professor in the School of Sociology at Higher School of Economics (Moscow). Her research interests include gender inequality in organisations, state-civil society relations, and non-state actors’ participation in policymaking. Maria’s current research project examines possibilities and limitations for participation in policymaking for Russian NGOs working with the issue of domestic violence. Maria is also a member of a project group “Women and gender in public administration” (at HSE) that organises seminars and carries out research on gender segregation in public service as well as problems faced by women who seek to climb the career ladder in public administration, including gender stereotypes, the need to balance work and family responsibilities, and sexual harassment at work.

https://www.hse.ru/en/org/persons/202139458#sci

Watch the seminar here:

https://www2.helsinki.fi/fi/unitube/video/80bc7341-0baa-4e44-b1b2-4c2d6595a02c

Russian Law Talks 4 – Protection of Foreign Investment in Russia

12 May 2021

Time: 16:00 (Helsinki time)

Via Zoom

Event description:

In 2020, Russian regulators made further steps at creating an attractive regime for doing business. According to the World Bank, Russia has improved its business climate (it climbed three places and now ranks 28 out of 190 countries). At the same time, foreign investments in Russia plummeted. The flow of foreign direct investment in Russia has decreased 96% in 2020 ($1.4 billion in 2020 compared to $29 billion in 2019). This trend partly reflects the global decline of foreign direct investments on 42% in 2020 influenced by the COVID-19. In 2020, Russian legislation introduced new measures aimed at easing the life of foreign investors. The measures ranged from substantive law changes to shaping a new regime for dispute resolution. The experts will talk about the current trends in regulations affecting foreign investment in Russia, including the introduction of Agreements on protection and encouragement of investments into Russian Law, and the arbitration reform.

Speakers:

Leonid Kropotov, PhD, Legal Director at DLA Piper
Leonid is a legal director at international law firm DLA Piper. He has over 15 years’ experience in handling cross-border disputes (both litigation and arbitration) and M&A transactions. Leonid is an author of a monography on investments and a series of articles on international arbitration. He is holding PhD in Law from St. Petersburg State University and teaches there a post-graduate course and a master program on resolution of international disputes, investments and M&A.

Vladimir Talanov, Counsel at Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners
Vladimir is a Counsel at Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners Law Offices. He is a recognized expert in international trade law and provides clients with support in structuring international investment projects. Vladimir took part in developing a number of federal laws, including the Federal Law “On Industrial Policy in the Russian Federation” and the Federal Law “On Protection and Encouragement of Investment in the Russian Federation”. Alongside his law practice, Vladimir teaches at the National Research University “Higher School of Economics” and St. Petersburg State University, where he lectures on public international law, international trade, cross-border dispute settlement and regional economic integration.

Russian Law Talks 2 recording now available!

Russian Law Talks 2 – ‘Gender and Protest’ recording now available!

The seminar ‘Russian Law Talks 2 – Gender and Protest’ was held on the 8th of March 2021.

The original description of the event:

Since 2011 Russians are back on the streets expressing their opinion of the regime and protesting its new laws and measures. The authorities have chosen the path of criminalization of the protest activities which increased the number of arrests and introduced harsher punishments for using the constitutionally guaranteed right of the freedom of assembly. Since the Pussy Riot’s anti-Putin prayer, women have become increasingly visible in the protests.

OVD-INFO, an independent media project that monitors protests in the Russian Federation, upon the request of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association, created a special report on women’s participation in the protests. A team of experts and scholars will be discussing the report and wider issues related to gender and protest in Russia on 8 March 2021 at 14.00-16.00 EET (Helsinki).

Main presentation:

Denis Shedov and Natalia Smirnova, OVD INFO

Violations of the Right to Peaceful Assembly for Women and Girls in Russia from 2010 to 2020. A Report for the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association

Discussion:

Olga Zeveleva, University of Helsinki

Aleksandra Rumyantseva, Centre for Advanced Governance, Russia

Andrei Semenov, Yale Macmillan Center, Yale University

Dmitry Kurnosov, Carlsberg Fellow, University of Helsinki

Watch the seminar here:

https://www2.helsinki.fi/fi/unitube/video/a04fd5ab-f3cb-4895-bd4a-415a962860d7