LEGAL IMMUNITY AND OBSERVANCE OF THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW: ISSUES OF A LEGAL DOCTRINE
Three points of view on legal immunity are considered in the article. The first one states that immunity of the members of the Council of the Federation and the State Duma deputies, the President of the Russian Federation, judges is a violation of the principle of equality. The second one argues that legal immunities are the withdrawals from the general principle, but they are needed for protection of other socially significant values. The third point of view considers exceptions as a necessary component of any principle, and therefore the issue of possibility and acceptability of such exceptions in general loses its meaning. The article comes to the conclusion that legal immunity as the general juridical category represents a lawful withdrawal from legal accountability enshrined in concrete norms of law with a view to legally protecting shortlisted officials involved in realizing socially significant functions.