Say NO to the death penalty in Belarus

October 5, the discussion “Legal Murder” and the viewing of the documentary “Cause of Death Left Blank” took place in Chernihiv, Ukraine. The discussion of various aspects of this inhumane kind of punishment was held with the participation of the coordinator of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty in Belarus” Andrei Paluda, the mother of an executed death row convict Liubou Kavaliova and President of the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv Serhiy Burov.

During the discussion, those present people had the opportunity to learn the personal history of a victim of the use of the death penalty, Liubou Kavaliova, whose sone was executed for being allegedly involved in the preparation of the terrorist act that had taken place in the Minsk metro in April 2011 and discuss various aspects of this penalty, including the suffering of the relatives of the executed and the cynicism of the state.

The Week Coordinator Andrei Paluda drew attention to the fact that often only international solidarity can help to improve the situation:

"This year we decided to expand the geography of the Week against the Death Penalty. Many issues can only be solved in Belarus only by pressurizing the authorities by solidary actions. The state seldom listens to the voice of the civil society inside the country. Most often, the authorities' attention is paid only to the international voices. Solidarity is stronger than repression, and we believe in it."

Addressing the gathering, the Ukrainian human rights activist Serhiy Burov called the death penalty supranational issue and urged the public to take action in support of the Belarusian society.

"Ukraine abolished the death penalty in 2000, and for our country it is a phenomenon that cannot be returned. My position is based on the notion of human dignity. We shall not take one's life if we haven't given it to him, even if the man has committed a terrible crime. Whatever the punishment, it can not be killing. I believe that the use of the death penalty is a terrible practice. If such inhumane punishment, dating back to the times of barbarianism, is still used in our country, which is situated in the heart of Europe, it is hard to believe in it. I would like to see the death penalty abolished in Belarus as soon as possible. Opposing the death penalty is an act of solidarity available to everyone."

An exhibition of topical posters of the international project “Death is not a Justice” started working in Chernihiv HRH within the framework of the Week.

Kyrylo Ekymiv, Director of the Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv, said that human life is our greatest value and no one can take it: "The topic of the death penalty is very hard, but I believe that it is necessary to give people more information about it. I am sure that killing by the state with the aim of explaining that killing is bad is an ill-devised tool. There cannot be any humanness in the death penalty.”

The Week Against the Death Penalty, which will last from 5 to 10 October, is held in Belarus for the third year in a row. This year the geography of the informational and educational events has expanded to the neighboring countries” Belarusian human rights activists are supported by their colleagues and participants of the abolitionist movement in Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The Human Rights Center "Viasna" and the campaign "Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty in Belarus" invite everyone to join this action and actively use the posters, produced especially for the week, which can be downloaded at this link.