The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area from state to state, usually involving the governor or a board of advisers, or both. In all cases, a formal petition for clemency must be filed. Since 2004, 15 inmates have had their death sentences overturned and have been acquitted on re-trial or all charges have been dropped, including two in 2005, one in 2006, three in 2007, and three in 2008. In 2007, an additional 14 inmates from seven states had their sentences commuted to life in prison. Eight of these commutations resulted from New Jersey’s repeal of its death-penalty statute in 2007.73 UZBEKISTAN Legal Framework Until 1 January 2008, the death penalty was envisaged for two crimes:74 murder with aggravating circumstances and terrorism.75 In August 2005, President Islam Karimov signed a decree on abolition of the death penalty,76 and in June 2007 Uzbekistan’s Senate adopted relevant amendments to the Criminal Code substituting capital punishment with life imprisonment.77 Those serving life in prison are permitted to request parole after serving 25 years in prison, while those sentenced to long-term imprisonment can request parole after serving 20 years.78 Moratorium There is no moratorium on either the imposition or carrying out of death sentences. Method of execution Shooting79 73  Ibid. 74  Article 51 of the Criminal Code, 22 September 1994, with further amendments as of 29 September 2004. 75  Articles 97 (2) and 155 (3) of the Criminal Code. 76  Decree of the President of Uzbekistan “On abolition of the death penalty in the Republic of Uzbekistan”, 1 August 2005, <http://www.legislationline.org/legislation.php?lid=4241&tid=144>. 77  Law on Changes and Amendments in Some Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Connection with the Abolition of the Death Penalty, Art. 1, para. 1. 78  Ibid., para. 11. 79  Article 51 of the Criminal Code. Article 140 of the Criminal Execution Code of 1 April 1995 provides that executions shall not be carried out in public. 14