News reports indicate that the State Duma returned a 2001 draft law to the authors. The bill proposed removing the death penalty from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, a change that would affect politicians and high-profile political figures, including those named Boris Nemtsov and Yegor Gaidar. The discussion surrounding this draft highlighted a broader debate about how Russia should punish crimes at the highest level of severity and how those choices align with or diverge from other legal traditions in the country.
The drafters listed for the bill included Boris Nemtsov, who was assassinated in 2015, Yegor Gaidar, who passed away in 2009, and the politician Irina Khakamada. The proposal framed the removal of the death penalty as a shift in the criminal justice framework, aiming to replace capital punishment with alternative penalties that they believed would be more consistent with contemporary human rights norms and the rule of law.
Sergei Mironov, a prominent figure associated with the Fair Russia – For Truth faction, stated that his party would push for the reintroduction of the death penalty for certain offenses. Specifically, he advocated for the death penalty in cases involving terrorists and pedophiles, arguing that the most severe crimes against children warranted the ultimate punishment. Mironov also emphasized that any such measure would need to be carefully considered within the context of Russia’s legal system and its protections for due process.
In Mironov’s view, those who commit egregious crimes such as acts of terrorism or severe offenses against children might face the possibility of capital punishment. He noted that the overall effectiveness and fairness of the judiciary must be addressed, pointing to concerns about flaws in the judicial process. He suggested that if a moratorium on the death penalty were ever lifted, the execution of any sentence would require a thorough review by the Supreme Court, with decisions made by three judges alongside a jury to ensure higher levels of scrutiny and legitimacy.