Deputy Chairman of the Russian Constitutional Court...

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Constitutional Court Tamara Morshchakova described the appeal by the State Duma for [Russian] President [Vladimir Putin] to lift the moratorium on the death penalty as a populist measure. According to the judge, the deputies took this decision with the single aim of not losing electoral support until the next elections to the State Duma.
Morshchakova also pointed out that Russia was admitted to the Council of Europe on the condition that it declare a moratorium on the death penalty being carried out. In order for the highest form of punishment to be permissible, Russia would have to abolish the current constitution and adopt a new one. According to Morshchakova, this is not achievable at the moment.