Russia Kills the Death Penalty

A once-temporary ban on the death penalty is now set to be enshrined into Russian law, permanently banning the practice as Russia prepares to join the majority of the world’s countries in outlawing capital punishment. —JCL

The BBC:

Russia’s ban on the death penalty will remain when a current legal suspension expires on 1 January, the country’s Constitutional Court has ruled.

It said the use of the death penalty was now impossible because Russia had signed international deals banning it.

Russian announced the moratorium in 1996 when it joined the Council of Europe, although it retains capital punishment in its criminal code.

Opinion polls suggest that a majority of Russians back the death penalty.

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rian.ru

The ruling comes despite opinion polls showing most Russians support the death penalty.