Interfax

  New reasons for Russia to ratify protocol on death penalty

MOSCOW.  - Alexander Yakovenko, an official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that new reasons have arisen for Russia to ratify the protocol on abolishing the death penalty.

"The parliamentary elections in late 2003 have created a situation that is in many ways new to Russia. New conditions arose that favor starting the process to ratify protocol #6 [of the European human rights convention on the abolishment of the death penalty]," Yakovenko said on Monday.

He said that Russia will be obliged to abolish the death penalty when it joins the Council of Europe and a moratorium on the death penalty has been in effect in Russia since 1996. The protocol on abolishing the death penalty was sent to the State Duma for ratification in 1999.

"Both political and social reasons are known for why this procedure has not been completed yet," Yakovenko said.