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What Is the Dima Yakovlev Bill?


Question: What Is the Dima Yakovlev Bill?

Updated January 1, 2013

The Dima Yakovlev Bill went into effect January 1, 2013, as a new law.


The Dima Yakovlev Bill bans entry to US citizens who may have committed crimes against Russians abroad, persons involved in abduction or illegal imprisonment of Russians, as well as those who are suspected of abusing Russian children. The bill also bans US citizens from adopting Russian orphans.

The Dima Yakovlev bill passed the Russian State Duma or lower house of the parliament as well as the Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of the parliament. The document was then signed by President Vladimir Putin on December 28, 2012.

The Dima Yakovlev Bill is named after 21-month-old Dmitry Yakovlev who was later renamed Chase Harrison after being adopted by Virginia couple, Miles and Carol Harrison. Chase was left in his adoptive father’s hot car one July day in 2008, when Miles forgot to take Chase to daycare. The Russian government was extremely upset when Miles Harrison was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter.

The Dima Yakovlev Bill is believed to be a response to the Magnitsky Act which was signed into law by President Obama on December 14, 2012.

The Dima Yakovlev Bill is also known as the Anti-Magnitsky Act.


Obama Signs Magnitsky Act Into Law
Russian lower house approves measures responding to Magnitsky Act
Russian Federal Council passes "anti-Magnitsky Act"
Obama enacts Magnitsky Act

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