BELGRADE, October 14. /TASS/. The punishment for murdering children must be as severe as possible, however, Russia should not reinstate the death penalty, Russian Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Speaker Valentina Matviyenko told reporters on Monday.

"At the time, Russia made a civilized decision, and I am against changing its direction. We must not introduce a death penalty," Matviyenko said, commenting on the proposals to cancel the moratorium on the death penalty in the wake of the murder of a little girl in Saratov.

Matviyenko added that the persons guilty of murdering a child must receive the most severe punishment.

The discussion of possible restoration of the death penalty began after the body of a nine-year-old girl was found in Saratov on October 11. The Russian State Duma raised the issue of the death penalty in a poll published on the VK social network. About 100,000 people have taken part in the poll already. However, Aide to the Russian State Duma Speaker Anastasia Kashevarova told TASS that the State Duma did not give any directives to hold this poll, and that the issue has been blown out of proportion by the media.