Kyrgyz President Extends Moratorium On Death Penalty

President Bakiev at his inauguration in August (official site) 30 December 2005 -- Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev has extended the Central Asian country's moratorium on the death penalty as it prepares to abolish the practice.

The presidential press service today reported that the government has been instructed to prepare within two months draft legislation that would replace the death penalty with life imprisonment or lengthy prison terms.

Kyrgyzstan introduced a moratorium on the death penalty in 1998, and has since annually extended the presidential decree.

(ITAR-TASS)