OMRI DAILY DIGEST - No. 239, Part II, 11 December 1995

The Moldovan parliament on 8 December voted unanimously to abolish the death penalty, Moldovan and international agencies reported. Sentences ranging from 25 years to life will be meted out for such crimes as high treason, murder, terrorism, desertion during war, and rape of minors. "This is an important step toward bringing Moldovan legislation in line with that of other European countries," Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Dumitru Diacov said. Since 1991, 21 death penalties have been handed out. None has been carried out in Moldova, but an unknown number of people have been sent to Russia and Ukraine for execution. -- Matyas Szabo