President Islam Karimov cut the number of offences...

President Islam Karimov cut the number of offences carrying the death penalty from eight to four, but the categories remaining - aggression, genocide, terrorism and premeditated murder with aggravating circumstances - are seen as broad enough to allow a wide interpretation.Karimov insisted there was no question of abolishing capital punishment. "As long as we live in the East and we have an eastern mentality, then we cannot fail to punish such acts," he said.