The head of Russia's Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, advocates for the reinstatement of the death penalty for violent crimes like terrorism and crimes against children, citing a rise in brutality of crimes. Bastrykin proposes lifting the death penalty moratorium by presidential decree, bypassing the need for a constitutional change. This call follows a surge in violent offenses, with 23,700 crimes against children investigated last year, including murders and sexual offenses. Bastrykin's stance aligns with other officials and allies of President Putin, who have echoed similar sentiments to bring back capital punishment in Russia, despite its suspension since the late 1990s amidst Council of Europe conditions and subsequent expulsion in 2022.