International Mechanism Submissions

This report addresses the Russian Federation's compliance with its international human rights obligations with respect to the death penalty. The Russian Federation continues to observe its moratorium on the use of the death penalty as a form of criminal punishment. The ban on the imposition of the death penalty by the courts was confirmed by Presidential Decree No. 724 of 16 May 1996,and also by ruling No. 1344 of 19 November 2009 of the Constitutional Court. 

The report examines the current state of the death penalty in the Russian Federation, including (1) implementation of recommendations relating to the death penalty; (2) access to justice and legal representation; (3) torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment in detention, including for people under sentence of death; (4) conditions of detention; and (5) targeting of legal counsel representing people charged with capital crimes and human rights defenders expressing opposition to the death penalty. 

During its third-cycle review in 2018,the Russian Federation received thirteen recommendations relating to the death penalty. Since that time,the Russian Federation has not sentenced any people to death.  

This report recommends that the Russian Federation ratify relevant human rights treaties, improve detention conditions for all people, ensure all people facing the possibility of the death penalty have access to competent legal counsel and the right to a fair trial, and improve the transparency by allowing independent observers to conduct unannounced visits at all detention facilities.