More than half of the respondents generally support the use of capital punishment, and a third do not support it. The terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall did not lead to an increase in the number of supporters of the death penalty — today their number is slightly less than during the previous measurement in May 2021. Respondents who support the use of capital punishment motivate their position by saying that there should be fair retribution for serious crimes, as well as by the fact that severe punishment will help maintain order. Opponents of the death penalty primarily say that “it is inhumane” and fear possible miscarriages of justice. Slightly less than half of the respondents admit torture of detainees in exceptional cases and, above all, to those who have committed serious crimes, a third believes that torture is unacceptable under any circumstances.

In one study, in the context of discussing the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall, respondents were also asked several questions about attitudes towards the death penalty and torture of detainees. When asked directly about their attitude to capital punishment, more than half of the respondents (57%) replied that they definitely and rather favor the death penalty, a third are rather and definitely against (33%), the remaining 10% found it difficult to decide.

Depending on the age of the respondents and the place of residence, there are noticeable differences on this issue. Thus, older people (40-54 years old and 55 years and older) are more often in favor of the death penalty (59% and 61%, respectively), as well as residents of small towns (with a population of up to 100 thousand people) – 61% – for those who trust television as a source of information (59%) and approve of the activity V. Putin as president (58%).

While young people (18-24 years old), residents of Moscow and cities with a population of more than 500 thousand people who trust information from YouTube channels are more likely than in other groups to take a position against the death penalty (53%, 39%, 39% and 49%, respectively).

Respondents who support the use of capital punishment motivate their position by saying that there should be fair retribution for serious crimes, as well as by the fact that severe punishment will help maintain order.

Opponents of the death penalty primarily say that “it is inhumane” and fear possible miscarriages of justice. At the same time, 16% are sure that the death penalty is a lighter punishment compared to life imprisonment.

The study also asked about attitudes towards the death penalty in a formulation that allows us to trace the change of opinions on this topic over time. The proposed answers in this case are more complicated, which may (and did) affect the results obtained, which is why we considered it necessary to ask the question in a simpler and more direct formulation.

So, on the issue in this formulation, 52% of respondents are in favor of the death penalty (the sum of the options “restore to the same extent as in the early 90s” and “expand the use of the death penalty”) today (which is slightly less than a little more than a third (36%) compared to a simpler and more direct question opposes (the sum of the options “completely repeal” and “maintain the current situation: execution and imposition of death sentences suspended”).

At the same time, the peak support was shown in 2002 (68%). Then, until 2017, the number of supporters of the death penalty decreased (to 44%), after which in 2019-2021 their number increased again (to 57%). Thus, compared with the previous measurement, the number of supporters of the death penalty has decreased slightly.

Also, in the context of questions about the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall, the question was asked about the permissibility of the use of torture to detainees. About half of the respondents (47%) speak about the permissibility of the use of torture in general, of which 25% believe that torture is possible only when human lives can be saved, 22% – that torture can be used only against those who have committed a serious violent crime. A third of Russians (35%) agree that torture is not acceptable under any circumstances, and another 18% of respondents have no opinion on this matter.

Russians aged 25-39 are more likely to say that torture is acceptable in certain situations – 57% (in terms of “when it can save lives” + “only to those who have committed a serious violent crime”), those who believe that things are going in the right direction (50%) those who trust social networks as a source of information (56%). Men and women hold these points of view equally (48% each), but women are somewhat more likely to express their opinion on the fundamental inadmissibility of torture (36% vs. 32%).

Older respondents – 55 years and older (41%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (49%), those who disapprove of the activities of V. Putin as president (46%) – they often talk about the inadmissibility of torture under any circumstances.