On the Abolition of the Death Penalty

Added 001226
Last updated 001226

Source:
«Vedemosti Verxovnogo Soveta SSSR», 1947 g. No. 17
as reprinted in
Ministerstvo Yusticii RSFSR, Ugolovnyj Kodeks RSFSR: Oficial'nyj tekst s izmeneniyami na 1 iyulya 1950 g. i s prilozheniem postatejno-sistematizirovannyx materialov, Gosudarstvennoe Izdatel'stvo Yuridicheskoj Literatury, Moskva, 1950; pp. 140-141

ON THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 26 May 1947

The historic victory of the Soviet people over the enemy showed not only the growing might of the Soviet state, but most of all the exclusive devotion of the entire population of the Soviet Union.

Together with this, the international situation in the period following the capitulation of Germany and Japan shows, that the cause of peace can be considered secure for a long time, despite the attempts of aggressive elements to provoke war.

Considering these circumstances and proceeding in accord with the wishes of unions of workers and professionals, and other authoritative organizations, expressing the wish of broad social circles, -- the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR considers, that the employment of the death penalty is no longer indispensible in conditions of world peace.

The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR decrees:

2. For crimes, punishable by current laws with the death penalty, employ in peacetime imprisonment in a corrective-labor camp for a term of 25 years.

3. For sentences to death, not carried out before the publication of this Decree, change the death penalty, by determination of the superior court to the punishment prescribed in paragraph 2 of this Decree.

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