MP proposes to consider moratorium on the death penalty
Alena Anisim, member of the House of Representatives, has proposed to consider the question of declaring a moratorium on the death penalty at the second session of the parliament’s lower chamber of the sixth convocation, which will open in early April 2017, naviny.by said. The proposal came in response to a petition from human rights activists who called for a parliamentary hearing to discuss the possibility of a moratorium. The appeals were sent to all the 110 newly elected MPs.
“I have a proposal to consider at the second session of the House of Representatives a moratorium on the death penalty, and before the opening of this session, perhaps to hold parliamentary hearings on the topic,” Alena Anisim said on December 16. “Why is this important? Firstly, we are now considering the introduction of the Ombudsman’s office. Secondly, I believe that the introduction of a moratorium (we're not talking about the abolition of the death penalty) will increase both the international prestige of the country and the level of our legislature. It turns out that only our country is the only who applies the death penalty in the heart of Europe.”
In response, Chairman of the House of Representatives Uladzimir Andreichanka said the question could be considered under the parliament’s procedures.