Russian parliament rejects bid to restore capital punishment
The lower, and more powerful, chamber of the Russian parliament also selected 11 legislators who will join their colleagues from the upper chamber in investigating the Beslan atrocity. War on terrorism dominated the Duma’s agenda as deputies lined up to propose motions and bills, which call for tougher security measures and restricted freedoms.
The session began with a minute’s silence to honour the 320 hostages who died in the school, and proceeded with heated debates on whether chiefs of Russia’s law-enforcement and security services should be summoned to explain why storming of the school was bungled.
