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State Duma refuses to institute capital punishment for terrorism

"More than half of citizens support the institution of the death penalty for terrorism," member of the Liberal Democratic Party faction said

© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

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Russian Supreme Court chairman speaks against death penalty return

MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Russia’s State Duma has rejected in the first reading on Tuesday the initiative of member of the Liberal Democratic Party faction Roman Khudyakov on instituting capital punishment for terrorism.

The lawmaker suggested making relevant amendments to articles 78, 83, 87, 88 and 205 of the Russian Criminal Code. In his opinion, "there’s a considerable gap in the criminal legislation between the degree of social danger of the crime committed and the punishment for it." "More than half of citizens support the institution of the death penalty for terrorism, while the criminal legislation doesn’t envisage capital punishment for it," Khudyakov said.

However, the State Duma Committee on Civil, Criminal, Arbitration and Procedural Legislation spoke against the amendments. The committee concluded that the concept of the initiative ran counter to the current legislation and Russia’s international commitments, specifically, Protocol No.6 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty.

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