Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law an amnesty for people who illegally spirited funds out of the country, hoping to counter the capital flight that has contributed to the country’s economic crisis. The law as published on the official government website exempts from criminal prosecution Russians who this year declare assets such as property or shares or foreign bank accounts they have previously hidden from the authorities. The law aims to “create the legal basis for returning to our economy assets hidden in the shadows,” Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev had said.