Scientific article

UDK 343.25
pdf-version

Alexander K. Kozhevnikov
master’s degree, Ural Institute of Management – branch of RANEPA under the President of the Russian Federation
(Ekaterinburg, Russia),
Alex_kozh00@mail.ru

Death Penalty in the Russian Federation: Constitutional and Legal Status, Moratorium, and Prospects

Scientific adviser:
Artyom V. Mazein
Reviewer:
Ekaterina Kovrigina
Paper submitted on: 08/11/2026;
Accepted on: 09/28/2026;
Published online on: 09/28/2026.
 Abstract. This article provides a constitutional and legal analysis of the death penalty in Russia. It examines the moratorium established by the decisions of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, specifically the relationship between Resolution No. 3-P and Ruling No. 1344-O-R, as well as mechanisms for reinstating the death penalty. Furthermore, it addresses the debate surrounding the reintroduction of capital punishment following Russia’s withdrawal from the Council of Europe. The article concludes that robust legal safeguards, particularly the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation’s interpretation of Article 20 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, render the reinstatement of the death penalty highly unlikely absent the adoption of a new Constitution.
Keywords: death penalty, moratorium, Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, exceptional punishment, constitutional law, life imprisonment, legal position, Constitution of the Russian Federation

For citation: Kozhevnikov, A. K. Death Penalty in the Russian Federation: Constitutional and Legal Status, Moratorium, and Prospects. StudArctic forum. 2026, 11 (3): 86–93.

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