On December 29, the People's Council decided to abolish...

On December 29, the People's Council decided to abolish the death sentence in the country. The same day, President Niyazov signed an appropriate constitutional law. Capital punishment as the gravest criminal punishment will no longer be applied. The longest prison term will be 25 years. Niyazov told the People's Council that persons sentenced for felonies will be kept at special places of confinement. On the same day, a constitutional law was passed on the annual pardoning of convicts on a specific Muslim holiday. Persons pardoned under the law will take an oath on the Koran never to commit crimes against society, the President said. On abolishing the death penalty he commented: "I have already said that no one has the right to take the life given by God. Even if someone commits a crime, let him live on and serve his sentence in jail. But taking someone's life is a barbaric act. We, therefore, are taking a decision of great state importance, no one has the right to violate this law and let this law be adopted once and forever."