Timur Khutov, Head of Criminal Law Practice, BMS Law Firm:

In Russia, special opinions have no impact on court practice which is what differs them significantly from what they have in the USA. A special opinion of a Constitutional Court justice is incorporated into case files and published in the Newsletter of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation together with the judgment to which it relates. However, this is just a theoretical speculation for you to familiarize with, nothing more than that. Thus, one should not expect any real changes caused by it to follow.

For instance, a special opinion expressed by a general court judge is merely attached to case files and is not published anywhere. As for any impact on the situation surrounding Navalniy, this special opinion will not benefit him in any way; if only serve as another PR excuse for his election campaign.