MOSCOW, April 20 (UPI) -- Russia's Constitutional Court has upheld a government ban on jury trials for terrorism suspects, the court's Web site says.
The decision backs a Kremlin initiative aimed at curbing the frequent acquittals granted by juries in terrorism cases, The Moscow Times reported Tuesday.
In 2008, the State Duma approved a law barring suspects charged with terrorism, the violent takeover of power or armed mutiny from being tried by a jury.
The court's decision Monday said only defendants in cases involving capital punishment need to be granted the right to a jury trial.
Since Russia currently has a moratorium on the death penalty, lawmakers have the right to decide which crimes should not be considered by juries, the court said.
The Constitutional Court's ruling came in response to an appearance by five men accused of taking part in an armed mutiny by Islamic rebels in Nalchik in October 2005.
