The law is a reaction to the US Magnitsky Act, which blacklists Russian officials accused of rights abuses. 

 

The death of anti-corruption² lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009 became a symbol of the fight against corruption in Russia, and soured relations between Russia and the US.

 

The US state department says it "deeply regrets" the passing of the law.

 

On Friday, a Moscow court acquitted³（无罪释放） a prison doctor accused of negligence⁴（疏忽） over Magnitsky's death. It was the only trial to be held in the case.

 

The judge said Dmitry Kratov had acted appropriately when Magnitsky fell ill in jail. Mr Kratov was deputy head of the high-security Butyrka prison in Moscow at the time.

 

A Russian official report last year concluded that Magnitsky had been tortured and handcuffed in jail.

 

Magnitsky represented London-based Hermitage Capital Management (HCM). He uncovered what he described as a web of corruption involving Russian tax officials, including the alleged⁵ theft of more than $200m. 

 

After reporting it to the authorities, he was himself detained on suspicion of aiding tax evasion⁶, and died in custody⁷ on 16 November 2009 at the age of 37.

 

US-born fund manager Bill Browder, who runs Hermitage Capital, spearheaded efforts in the US to put pressure on Russia over the Magnitsky case. Mr Browder was a major investor⁸ in Russia before Magnitsky's arrest.

 

Earlier this month the US Congress adopted the Magnitsky Act, prompting Russia's retaliation（报复，反击）. The EU has also criticised Russia over its handling of the case.

 

Mr Putin signed the Russian law after it had been approved by the Russian parliament.

 

He told officials he saw no reason not to sign it, and said he would sign a presidential decree to "modify the support mechanisms⁹ for orphaned¹⁰ children".

 

"There are lots of places in the world where living standards are higher than they are here," Mr Putin said. 

 

"Are we going to send all our children there? Perhaps we should move there ourselves?" 

 

Some 3,400 Russian children were adopted by foreign families in 2011, almost one-third of the children going to American homes. 

 

Over the same period, the number of children adopted by Russian citizens was 7,416.

 

In the past two decades Americans have adopted more than 60,000 Russian children.

 

"The Russian government's politically motivated decision will reduce adoption¹¹ possibilities for children who are now under institutional care," US state department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said. 

 

"We are further concerned about statements that adoptions¹² already underway may be stopped and hope that the Russian government would allow those children who have already met and bonded¹³ with their future parents to finish the necessary legal procedures so that they can join their families," he added.

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