Ak Jol parliamentary faction votes against joining protocol abolishing death penalty.

The Ak Jol parliamentary faction voted against draft law on Kyrgyzstan's joining the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aiming at the abolition of the death penalty adopted by the UN General Assembly Resolution 44/128 of 15 December 1989.In accordance with the draft law, Kyrgyzstan's joining to the Protocol will be the final action in abolition of death penalty in the Kyrgyz Republic. Kyrgyzstan has canceled death penalty and replaced it with life sentence aimed at humanization of the criminal legislation of 25 June 2007.Justice Minister Nurlan Tursunkulov said Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova, Georgia were the last countries, which joined the Optional Protocol. Russia, Kazakhstan and the United States still use death penalty as capital punishment.The lawmakers differed about the issue. MP Dinara Moldosheva said it is necessary to draw attention to funding problems and whether the state would be able to support convicts serving life sentence. Prior to abolition of death penalty, it was necessary to think about the resource base.Justice Minister Nurlan Tursunkulov said over 200 som is spent a day per one convict serving life sentence (around 7 thousand som). This amount includes meals, health care, guarding, electricity, etc. There are around 200 life convicts in Kyrgyzstan. Around 1.4 million som is spent for life convicts annually.The Justice Minister two facilities are being constructed for life convicts in Naryn and Chui oblasts. The prison in Chui oblast will accommodate 200 convicts serving life sentence.MP Askar Salymbekov said Kyrgyzstan should have death penalty. According to MP Salymbekov, 80-90% of the population are for introduction of death penalty. MP Joldoshbek Jakypov in turn suggested to put reintroduction of death penalty to nation-wide discussion.MP Zainidin Kurmanov spoke for joining this Protocol. The parliamentarian recalled history of the Kyrgyz people. He said the Kyrgyz people were unaware of death penalty 100 years ago. This was alien for the Kyrgyz culture and mentality. This came from outside and was actively cultivated during the Soviet Union. MP Kurmanov said tolerance, patience and respect for people are main national traits peculiar to the Kyrgyz. Chinghiz Aitmatov wrote about mankurts, who forgot their history and culture, not for nothing.MP Leila Sydykova recalled statistical data and facts. The parliamentarians said statistics on grave crimes for years of moratorium remained on the same level and even reduction was reported some years. "Presence of death penalty does not mean grave crimes rise. 80% of murders are result of domestic conflicts. A part of crimes are contract murders," the lawmaker said.The parliamentarian said the state policy in terms of humanization of the legislation did not change.In the result, most parliamentarians voted against ratification of the Second Optional Protocol.

News Agency I...IUIypress - 2001-2009

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company