Russia extends death penalty moratorium

November 20, 2009|Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG - Russia’s Constitutional Court effectively outlawed the death penalty yesterday, saying a moratorium on capital punishment should remain in force until the nation fully bans executions.

Valery Zorkin, Constitutional Court chief, said Russia must extend the moratorium on executions until it ratifies a European convention banning the penalty.

Russia announced a moratorium on capital punishment when it joined the Council of Europe in 1996. It pledged to abolish it, but the Kremlin-controlled Parliament has been reluctant to do so because of public support for the death penalty.

Persistent violence in the North Caucasus has prompted some to demand the death penalty for those involved in terrorism, and there is also pressure for serial killers, murderers, and child abusers to be executed.

But reviving capital punishment would harm relations with the European Union and undermine Kremlin contentions Russia is no less modern than European nations. President Dmitry Medvedev has spoken out on the importance of the rule of law and basic human values.

“The State Duma hasn’t yet ratified the protocol banning capital punishment because many in Russia support the death penalty,’’ said Mikhail Krotov, Medvedev’s envoy to the Constitutional Court. “The society needs more time to ban the death penalty. But the government structures support a ban on capital punishment.’’