2 Russian lawmakers may lose immunity

Two Russian lawmakers targeted in a corruption probe should be stripped of their immunity from prosecution, an investigative panel says. Investigators have determined Konstantin Shirshov, a Communist member of the state Duma, demanded 7.5 million euros ($9.9 million) for "selling" a State Duma lawmaker's mandate, ITAR-Tass reported Tuesday. A Just Russia member, Oleg Mikheyev, is suspected of being involved in the takeover of 14 real estate facilities belonging to the Volgograd engine-making plant, worth over 500 million rubles ($16.3 million), and in the attempted theft of 2.1 billion rubles ($68 million) from Promsvyazbank. Mikheyev is also accused of obstructing justice. Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said the panel wants Shirshov and Mikheyev prosecuted. "The [committee] forwarded materials to the Prosecutor General's Office to ask the State Duma to strip them of lawmaker's immunity," he said.