Following the 30 December 1999 Constitutional Court's...

Following the 30 December 1999 Constitutional Court's decision, the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) abolished the death penalty clauses contained in the country's criminal code, criminal code of practice and correctional code replacing it with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. It also ratified Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights in line with Ukraine's commitments to the Council of Europe which it had joined in 1995. Out of 269 registered and voting deputies, 229 voted for and 15 against introducing amendments to the codes, while out of 267 deputies 228 voted for and 6 against ratification of the Convention.