Russia's jury reform draws fire for handing verdicts back to the state

The Supreme Court proposals would allow presiding judges to "clarify" questions during deliberations and reduce jury panels from six or eight members to four, changes lawyers say undermine the independence of a system that acquits at 60 times the national average in non-jury trials.

Russia's Supreme Court is preparing legislation that would allow presiding judges to enter the deliberation room while a jury discusses its verdict and would reduce jury panels from six or eight members to four — changes that could greatly consolidate decision-making power in the hands of state-appointed officials.

Deputy Chair of the Supreme Court Nikolai Timoshin and Supreme Court judge Sergei Zelenin have outlined the main provisions of the planned reform, although the draft law has not yet been published.

Under the proposals, the presiding judge would not be permitted to vote on a defendant's guilt but would be entitled to "clarify" questions arising during deliberations.

Additional provisions would change the procedure for selecting jurors, allow citizens over 65 to serve, restrict the grounds for dissolving an already formed panel and give defendants the right to refuse a jury trial even after a hearing has been scheduled.

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