Capital punishment in Russia has been indefinitely suspended, although it is legally allowed (with the only method being shooting). There exists both an implicit moratorium established by the President and an explicit one, established by the nation's highest court. Russia has not executed anyone since 1996, and the regulations of the Council of Europe prohibit it from doing so at any time in the future. However, the death penalty still remains codified.
In the recent years, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia will retain its moratorium at least until 2010. In November 2009, the Constitutional Court of Russia extended the ban.
Famous quotes containing the words capital, punishment and/or russia:
“Nobility is a graceful ornament to the civil order. It is the Corinthian capital of polished society.”
—Edmund Burke (1729–1797)
“The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)
“To the Japanese, Portugal and Russia are neutral enemies, England and America are belligerent enemies, and Germany and her satellites are friendly enemies. They draw very fine distinctions.”
—Jerome Cady, U.S. screenwriter, and Lewis Milestone. Peter Voroshevski (Howard Clinton?)