The country's parliament voted to back a bill backed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's dominant United Russia party giving three judges the right to rule on cases involving terrorism, hostage-taking, armed insurrection, sabotage and civil disturbances.
The bill will go before Russia's upper house, the Federation Council where approval is expected to be a formality, before it becomes law.
The move came 15 years to the day since the adoption of Russia's first post-Soviet Constitution which reintroduced jury trials abolished by the Bolsheviks in 1917.
Critics said the move raised the spectre of a return to Soviet-style trials controlled solely by judges.
Russia scraps right to jury trial
Israel will mobilize thousands of reserve soldiers to bolster its campaign against Hamas in the Gaza...
At the Madison Avenue Pub, American liquor is no longer for sale.
The popular neighborhood Toronto bar,...
U.S. officials have finalized new economic sanctions against Russia, including banking and energy measures, to intensify...
