Cambodia, Russia approve agreement on mutual protection in international criminal justice　

Cambodia’s Senate has approved an agreement with Russia on the mutual protection of nationals in international criminal justice, establishing a mechanism governing the extradition, transfer or expulsion of protected individuals to a third country or an international criminal justice institution. 

The agreement also stipulates that the transfer or surrender of protected individuals cannot take place without the prior written consent of the relevant state party. 

The Senate approved the draft law at an extraordinary session of its fifth legislature on 29 September, with 56 senators voting in favour. 

Cambodia’s National Assembly had already approved the agreement on 21 September, with all 112 lawmakers voting in favour, before it was sent to the Senate. 

According to a notice from the Senate Secretariat, the draft law aims to strengthen legal cooperation between Cambodia and Russia and establish legal protections for nationals and officials of the two countries in matters related to international criminal justice. 

The Senate said the agreement also concerns guarantees and protections for the diplomatic immunity of leaders, officials and former leaders or officials of both countries while carrying out official duties or when present in the territory of the other state party. 

The provisions were drafted with reference to the principles of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. 

According to Russia’s Ministry of Justice, the agreement on the mutual protection of nationals in international criminal justice was signed on 26 June 2026, but has not yet entered into force. 

The agreement could be particularly significant in cases where an individual faces a request for extradition or transfer to a third country or an international criminal justice institution. 

Under the agreement, neither Cambodia nor Russia would be able to extradite, transfer, expel or surrender a protected individual to a third state or an international criminal justice institution without the prior consent of the relevant state party. 

The approval comes against the backdrop of Russian President Vladimir Putin being subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

The ICC issued the warrant for Vladimir Putin in March 2023, alleging his criminal responsibility for the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia to Russia. Vladimir Putin has rejected the allegations. 

Cambodia is a state party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, having ratified it on 11 April 2002. The Rome Statute also sets out obligations for state parties to cooperate with the ICC and comply with requests from the court concerning the arrest and surrender of individuals in cases within its jurisdiction. 

The creation of the legal mechanism comes as Cambodia-Russia relations move from longstanding historical ties towards deeper cooperation in a new era. 

In June 2026, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet visited Russia and held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.