Russia To Introduce Death Penalty for Terrorism?

The terrorist attacks in Moscow subway and explosions in Kizlyar have revived a dormant discussion about toughening the responsibility for terrorists and their accomplices. Representatives of relevant committees of the State Duma and the Public Chamber told Pravda.ru what legal tools could be used to fight this evil.

In the last few days several large-scale terrorist attacks ripped through Russia. Female suicide bombers set off explosive devices in Moscow subway at Lubyanka and Park Kultury stations. As a result, 39 people died and over 90 were injured.

In a Dagestan city of Kizlyar on March 31st another twin explosions targeting law enforcement officers were set off. As a result of the explosion equal to 200 kilograms of TNT, 12 people died, including Vitaly Vedernikov, head of the city Department of Internal Affairs. Both explosions in Moscow and Kizlyar were set off by suicide bombers.

The reaction was quick. The State Duma and the Public Chamber raised an issue of introducing death penalty as a capital punishment for terrorist attacks resulting in death of people. There were new requests to suspend the moratorium for death penalty for criminals who committed serious crimes.

In 1996, before joining the European Council, Russia undertook a number of obligations, including abolishment of death penalty. Although the protocol for banning death penalty has not been yet ratified, the moratorium for capital punishment is in effect.

Gennady Zyuganov, the leader of the Communist Party, was among the first officials to suggest reenactment of the capital punishment for terrorists. “We stated long time ago that the country is not ready for the ban. The country has to reenact death penalty for serious crimes. It is hard to imagine a worse crime than the one committed on Monday,” he said. He believes that those who financed and ordered this crime, and “programmed people who go and eliminate other people without thinking twice” should be punished in the first place.

The Federation Council picked up the idea. Anatoly Lysakov, head of the Legal committee of the Federation Council, told journalists that in the near future amendments will be made in the existing criminal legislation stipulation death penalty for organization and implementation of terrorist attacks.

Alexei Alexandrov, chair of the Federation Council Constitutional Legislation committee, clarified that introduction of a new article of the Criminal Code providing for death penalty will not mean that the moratorium will be suspended. “An article of the Criminal Code is one thing, and moratorium is a law enforcement practice, it is a completely different thing,” he explained.

Alexander Moskalets, First Deputy of the Committee on Constitutional Law and State Construction, told Pravda.ru that life sentence is a bigger punishment for suicide bombers than death penalty. “Executors of terrorist attacks are suicide bombers. It sounds cynical, but life sentence is better for them. The Criminal Code does not have a capital punishment other than death penalty. Today we encounter situations where human life turns into a crime implementation technology.”

Nikolai Leonov, former head of the KGB analytical department, also spoke about hopelessness of death penalty introduction. “They are suicide bombers, they choose death penalty themselves. Therefore, death penalty does not mean anything for them. It is a vain pursuit. Do not suggest things that are obviously unnecessary.”

Pavel Krasheninnikov, head of the State Duma's Civil, Criminal, Arbitration and Procedural Law Committee agrees with Moskalets and Leonov. “It is pointless to introduce death penalty because suicide bombers are looking for death. It will not hold them back,” he said, mentioning that life sentence was sufficient.

He also said that those with life sentence do not say anything for the first couple of years, but later they can reveal useful information, and not only about their own crimes. “At the moment we have to make every effort to solve crimes and prevent terrorism, “he is convinced.

Andrei Przhezdomsky, a member of the commission of Public Chamber of the Russian Federation on public control over activity of law enforcement bodies, believes that the situation requires toughening of the punishment for terrorism because “struggle with terrorism in on the agenda.”

“For many years we cannot win over this evil. Despite the fact that military actions in the Northern Caucasus are over, terrorists are still very active.”

Andrei Przhezdomsky mentions that as of now, there is no direct anti-terrorist cooperation between the countries-members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, there is no full-fledged database of terrorist attacks and terrorists themselves.
“This significantly hinders the struggle. We need to activate opposition to terrorism by toughening sanctions and actively cooperating with our colleagues in other countries, “he said.

“Prevention of terrorist attacks should be implemented through investigative activities regulating the work of security agencies. The President is absolutely right that prevention of terrorist attacks should be conducted within the legislative field and support of the legislation regarding investigative activity.”

It is worth mentioning that the issues of toughening the responsibility for terrorists were also discussed at the meeting of the Russia’s Security Council on Wednesday. In particular, President Dmitry Medvedev suggested thinking about correcting anti-terrorist legislation. “It makes sense to analyze certain articles, including article on terrorism and see how criminal prosecution is implemented in terms of terrorist acts,” he said. He added that it is necessary to pay attention to prevention activities, including those that involve legal tools.

Maxim Bogatykh
Pravda.Ru

Two Explosions Rip Through Moscow Metro. At least 34 Killed
03/29/2010
Two explosions ripped through the Moscow metro in the morning of March 29. At least 32 were killed on the Lubyanka station at about 7:56 a.m. when a bomb blew up in a car of the metro train. The second explosion took place at 8:39 at the Park Kultury station. At least 15 were killed, over 20 were injured.





Timetable of terror
Evgeniya Chaykovskaya
Moscow Metro attacks - minute by minute



07:52 Explosion at Lubyanka station in central Moscow. Two carriages were destroyed, 24 people dead, 39 injured.

08:30 Evacuation of Lubyanka station completed.

08:36. Explosion at Park Kultury station in the third wagon of the train. 12 people dead, 23 injured.

09:05 Criminal investigation into terrorist attacks opened.

09:10 FSB head Alexander Bortnikov informs President Dmitry Medvedev of the explosions.

09:15 Prosecutor's Office employees start work at the scenes of the attacks.

09:15 Traffic police advise people not to drive into the city centre.

09:25 Traffic in Moscow paralysed because of the explosions.

09:30 Prosecutor General Yury Chaika says he will control the investigation personally.

09:39 More than 70 ambulances took injured commuters from the blast sites.

09:50 Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov arrives at Park Kultury station. Head of Traffic police Sergei Kazantsev, head of Mosgortrans Pyotr Ivanov and the leaders of Moscow Emercom are all there. No less than 100 fire engines are at Park Kultury station. Movement of transport on Sadovoye Koltso is restricted.

09:56 Moscow police switch to an intensified schedule, working both on finding the people responsible and preventing any further attacks.

10:06 An airmobile hospital is set up next to Park Kultury.

10:21 Mobile phone lines in Moscow collapse under the increased volume of calls.

10:26 The explosions were intended to cause more casualties, says Luzhkov.

10:33 Sergei Shoigy, head of the emergency services, reported to Medvedev on the attacks.

10:55 More than 50 Muscovites apply for help after nervous breakdowns.

11:09 Rail station and airport security increased.

11:31 Metro services on the affected lines to be restored in 3.5 hours after all checks are done.

11:35 The Serbsky institute opens a hotline for those affected by the explosions.

11:41 Additional security measures introduced on the St. Petersburg metro.

11:49 Investigators announce that plastic explosives were used at Park Kultury, about 1.5kg of TNT. Video footage from surveillance cameras is taken for police scrutiny.

12:03 The State Duma should hold a parliamentary investigation of the explosions, thinks Lyubov Sliska, Vice Speaker of Duma.

12:07 Half of those injured in the explosions are said to be in a serious condition.

12:09 The prosecutor's office announces it is investigating a theory that terrorist groups from Caucasus are responsible for the explosions.

12:10 No children were caught up in the blasts, officials report.

12:06 Russian Railways increases passenger and baggage control on the train stations.

12:15 Details are circulated of two women wanted for questioning in connection with helping the bombers, Interfax reports.

12:17 Fragments of an alleged suicide bomber's body found on Park Kultury.

12:19 The terrorists used explosive devices without shells, investigators say.

12:21 Rosaviation demands tighter security measures at all airports in Russia.

12:22 Emercom psychologists start work with the injured.

12:23 Riot police officers, some of them with dogs, patrol metro entrances.

12:28 NATO and EU denounce the terrorist acts.

12:34 Terrorists may be identified as their faces were not harmed in the explosion, says Vladimir Markin.

12:40 Moscow Metro was almost empty after the explosions, taxis reportedly charge up to 10 times the usual fares.

12:42 Medvedev announces a meeting on dealing with the consequences of the explosions.

12:46 The number of confirmed injuries rose to 64.

12:50 Medvedev demanded tighter security control in the country.

12:52 Park Kultury circle station entrance opened. The radial line remains closed

13:08 A North Caucasus terror group may be responsible for the explosions, FSB chief Bortnikov said in a meeting with the President.

13:16 Hexogen used in the explosions, said the FSB.

13:33 Lists of the dead and injured published on Emercom website.

13:44 Announcement of a day of mourning in Moscow on Tuesday.

14:07 The two women that helped the bombers are said to have Slavic appearance.

14:08 Emercom starts moving the bodies out of Lubyanka station.

14:41 Emercom starts moving the bodies out of Park Kultury station.

17:13 The number of victims rose to 38 people. 22 of them were identified, 19 men and 3 women.