24 October 2007 :

the Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service Yuri Kalinin believes that Russia should ban capital punishment.
' We have to distance ourselves from the blood-for-blood vendetta,' Kalinin told a news conference. 'Firstly, you know about many judicial errors, including in Chikatilo's case, and a Belarussian serial killer's. Even one such fact would call for banning executions. Russia has life imprisonment,' Kalinin reminded.
'Secondly, we joined the Council of Europe, assuming certain commitments, including the one to ban capital punishment - and have to abide by them.'