Former Russian prosecutor general Yury Skuratov has advocated for restoring the death penalty in Russia for terrorism and crimes against peace and humanity.
Speaking during a broadcast on Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda, Skuratov argued that capital punishment is necessary under current conditions, though its application should be strictly limited to specific categories of major offenses.
Skuratov emphasized that capital punishment was never formally abolished under Russian law, but rather placed under a suspension of its execution. He noted that the debate over capital punishment has long engaged law enforcement officials, criminal law theorists, and criminologists.
Skuratov served as Russia's prosecutor general from 1995 to 1999, overseeing major state investigations during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin. Russia introduced a moratorium on executions in 1996 as part of its entry into the Council of Europe, effectively replacing capital punishment with life sentences in practice.
Arguments for restoring executions
According to Skuratov, the primary argument in favor of resuming executions is the presence of perpetrators who commit grave crimes that cost numerous lives and undermine statehood. Conversely, he acknowledged that the main argument against capital punishment remains the risk of investigative and judicial errors.
To illustrate the danger of miscarriages of justice, Skuratov pointed to the notorious case of Andrei Chikatilo, a Soviet serial killer whose investigation initially led to the conviction and wrongful punishment of an innocent person before Chikatilo was caught.
Skuratov also criticized life imprisonment as an inadequate response to terrorism and highlighted the financial burden it places on the state budget. He argued that it is unfair for convicted terrorists to receive three free meals a day and daily outdoor exercise for life while ordinary working citizens sometimes lack time to eat lunch.
Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda is a widely broadcast Russian news radio station operated by the Komsomolskaya Pravda publishing house. Andrei Chikatilo was convicted of killing 52 people between 1978 and 1990, making his case a cornerstone reference in Russian legal debates regarding judicial errors and capital punishment.
Victims' lawyers seek moratorium end
Skuratov's comments follow calls from attorneys representing victims of the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow. The lawyers stated that the perpetrators of the massacre deserve capital punishment and urged authorities to lift the moratorium on the maximum legal penalty for such criminals.
Crocus City Hall, a popular music venue located in Krasnogorsk on the northwestern edge of Moscow, was targeted in a major terrorist attack on March 22, 2024, that resulted in over 140 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The attack sparked renewed public debate among Russian lawmakers and legal experts over whether to reinstate capital punishment for acts of terrorism.
