Russia's Supreme Court has closed a lawsuit filed by the late ex-head of the Russian Autonomous Republic of Chuvashia against President Vladimir Putin that challenged the president's decision to remove him from his post.
The court ruled on July 9 that the case cannot proceed following Mikhail Ignatyev's death, and rejected a request by his widow, Larisa Ignatyeva to give her plaintiff status.
Ignatyeva's lawyer said his client will appeal the ruling. This is the first known case of a former official suing Putin for losing his position.
Ignatyev, 58, died last month in a hospital weeks after he was hospitalized with pneumonia in late-May.
Ignatyev fell ill just days after he filed the lawsuit challenging Putin’s firing him in January.
Putin dismissed Ignatyev following his exclusion from the ruling United Russia party after he said at a Press Day event that "it is necessary to wipe out journalists" who criticize authorities.
The same month, Ignatyev touched off further criticism after a video broadcast on Russian television showed him forcing a firefighter to jump up in the air to get the keys to a new fire engine at a public event in Chuvashia's capital, Cheboksary.
Top Court Throws Out Lawsuit Filed By Late Regional Chief Against Putin
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