13 February 2006 :

Russia should abolish the death penalty in the near future, presidential council for civil society and human rights development Chairman Ella Pamfilova said.
"We are the only country in the Council of Europe that has not ratified the provision abolishing the death penalty. I would like to hope that we will do this in the near future," Pamfilova said at a news conference.
Pamfilova said she was aware that a majority of Russians favoured reinstatement of the death penalty. "But I believe that the political leadership should sometimes go against the majority on such fundamental issues," she said.
"As for the death penalty, our society is already cruel enough," she said.