News
Minsk: Information center of Council of Europe launches campaign against death penalty
On 10 October, the World Day against the Death Penalty, the Council of Europe’s information centre in Minsk launched a campaign on abolition of the death penalty. Read more…
Complaint about violation of death convict Vasil Yuzepchuk’s rights submitted to UN Human Rights Committee
On 9 October, on the eve of the World Day against the Death Penalty, the UN Human Rights Committee confirmed receiving the individual address of Vasil Yuzepchuk, who on 28 June 2009 was sentenced by Brest oblast court to death with property confiscation. Read more…
Baranavichy: authorities ban picket against death penalty
The deputy head of Baranavichy city executive committee Dzmitry Kastsiukevich answered the application of Siarhei Housha for holding of a picket against the death penalty on 10 October, the World day against the death penalty. Read more…
Amnesty International calls on Alexander Lukashenka to grant clemency to Vasil Yuzepchuk
Amnesty International has urged the President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenka to grant clemency to a man who may be facing imminent execution. Read more…
Supreme Court leaves death verdict to Yuzepchuk in force
On 2 October the Supreme Court of Belarus considered the cassation complaint on the criminal case of Vasil Yuzepchuk who had been sentenced to death by Brest oblast court on 29 June. The complaint was turned down. Read more…
Valer Filipau joins campaign against death penalty in Belarus
Valer Filipau, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, is one of the first Belarusian human rights defenders who started struggling for the abolishment of the death penalty in Belarus. Three editions, dedicated to the right to life, have been edited by him. Read more…
Prosecutor General speaks in favour of death penalty
Belarusian Prosecutor General Ryhor Vasilevich believes that grave crimes should be punished with the death penalty. ‘In 2009 2 persons have been sentenced to capital punishment in Belarus. The measure is severe, but fair,’ declared Mr.Vasilevich at a press-conference in Minsk. Speaking on the reasonableness of the verdicts, Prosecutor General said that one of them was passed to the murder of 7 elderly women in Drahichyn district, the other being the case of double murder as a result of a holdup, Interfax reports. Read more…
Belarus to abolish death penalty in September?
Belarus might introduce a moratorium on the death penalty in September. Garry Pahaniaila, a lawyer from the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, reckons it will be the most conducive time. He said: “September, because PACE and European structures in autumn will decide on whether to extend or lift sanctions against Belarus officials. It is also possible that a special-guest status would be returned to Belarus. Therefore, our authorities would like to meet some recommendations voiced by PACE and several EU officials. September is a good time to express "good will" and demonstrate Belarus' desire to implement the recommnedations of the international community". Read more…
Amnesty International launches new campaign against death penalty in Belarus
The Amnesty International human rights group has launched a new campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in Belarus. The group proposes to send letters to the head of Belarus, urging to replace the death penalty sentences to Vasil Yuzepchuk and Andrei Zhyk with imprisonment and to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty. The Belapan news agency reminds that Vasil Yuzepchuk, 30, a resident of the Drahichyn district, in Jume 2009 was sentenced to capital punishment for killing several female pensioners. 25-year-old Zhuk from Salihorsk was sentenced to death for murdering two people who were carrying money to be paid as salaries. Read more…
Brest: action against death penalty
On 10 August in Brest members of Young Front held an action for the abolition of death penalty in Belarus. The activists held out leaflets of Amnesty International in Savetskaya Street in the center of the city. Read more…
EU condemns new death sentence in Belarus
The representation of the European Commission has disseminated a statement on that on 3 August. Read more…
Authorities responded to PACE – another death sentence delivered
The Court of the Minsk region sentenced killers of two officers of Bolshevik-Agro company in the Minsk region to death and life imprisonment. “Two dwellers of Salihorsk, found guilty of murder of two officers of the company, were sentenced to death and life imprisonment,” Interfax learnt from the prosecutor’s office of the Minsk region. According to a source of the agency, another accused in this case got 13 years in prison, he was found guilty of aiding killing. The prosecutor’s office noted the court found “two people guilty of killing 2 persons committed by a group of people for selfish motives.” Read more…
Belarus defies Council of Europe call for a moratorium
The authorities in Belarus continue to ignore international pressure on them to declare a moratorium on the death penalty, Amnesty International and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, said today. The two organizations have just learnt that the Brest regional court sentenced a 30-year-old man to death on 29 June. The sentence was pronounced less than a week after the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly voted on 23 June in favour of restoring the Special Guest status to the Parliament of Belarus on the condition that Belarus declares a moratorium on the execution of the death penalty. Read more…
Amnesty International and Belarusian Helsinki Committee adopted joint statement concerning new death sentenced in Belarus
‘The Belarusian authorities continue to ignore international pressure on them to declare a moratorium on the death penalty’, RFE/RL quotes a press release of Amnesty International. Read more…
Another death sentence in Belarus
Brest oblast court sentenced a 30-year-old man to death for multiple murders. His 2-year-old accomplice got a life sentence with serving the punishment in a high-security penal colony. Read more…
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