In an interview with journalists on Tuesday, July 11, 2001, the Deputy Speaker of the Duma from the Yabloko faction Vladimir Lukin said that in his view the deputies of the Duma should urgently discuss the problem of abolishing the death penalty in Russia.

Vladimir Lukin also noted that here he shares the position of the President of Russia which was stated by Vladimir Putin lately, both the emotional and 'sensible' parts of the presidential speech. "I would also gladly help him to do this, i.e. strangle all those who takes people's lives," said Lukin.

But Lukin believes that the "emotional approach will not resolve the matter."

Lukin also noted that our judicial system is so imperfect that the probability of judicial error is extremely high; and this thing only can already be the reason for abolishing the death penalty.

According to Lukin, "verdicts should be tough, but they should not be death sentences."

Based on Interfax reports.