the death penalty can be returned only with a change in the Constitution – Kommersant

Lifting the moratorium on the death penalty in Russia is a matter of changing the country’s Constitution, said candidate for the post of head of the Supreme Court Irina Podnosova during a meeting of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation. She also assured the senators that she was not planning any drastic changes in the work of the judicial system or abandoning the humanization of criminal penalties.

“I probably wouldn’t express my personal opinion, although it coincides with the opinion of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Lebedev. I think that this is a question of changing the Constitution, and these are yours (legislators.— “Kommersant”) powers. Judges are law enforcers, and as the issue is resolved, we will carry it out,” said Ms. Podnosova in response to a question from Senator Lyudmila Narusova about her attitude to the introduction of the death penalty.

During her speech, Irina Podnosova also clarified: “What was done by Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Lebedev, how the judicial system works, probably there cannot be any claims to this system. The only thing I can say now is that I will do everything to strengthen and improve the existing judicial system.”

Ms. Podnosova said that the Supreme Court plans to continue working on the humanization of criminal penalties. “The principle of humanism is spelled out in the Constitution along with other principles. The humanization of criminal legislation has always been supported in the practice of the Supreme Court. Of course, the Supreme Court will continue to work in this direction,” she said.

Earlier, at a meeting on April 16, the relevant committee of the Federation Council on constitutional legislation supported candidacy of Irina Podnosova for the post of Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. She became the only contender for the position vacated after the death of the Chairman of the Supreme Council Vyacheslav Lebedev, who had held it since 1991.

Proposals to lift the moratorium in force in Russia were made in connection with the terrorist attack that occurred on March 22 in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow. Among the politicians who advocated the return of the death penalty are the head of United Russia, Vladimir Vasiliev, and the chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs and leader of the LDPR, Leonid Slutsky. Mr. Vasiliev said that the topic of returning the death penalty for terrorism will be deeply and meaningfully studied and a solution will be reached that will meet the expectations of society.

Read more about the discussion on the death penalty in the Kommersant article. “Death suits them”.