Capital punishment in Belarus, analytics, Petition against the Death Penalty in Belarus

Belarus is the last country in Europe and former Soviet Union that is still carrying out the death penalty. Amnesty International, Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, Belarusian Helsinki Committee and other human rights defenders in Belarus oppose the death penalty in all cases without exception. The death penalty is a violation of the right to life, guaranteed by the Constitution of Belarus and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nothing can justify the purposeful and ruthless taking of a human life by State.

The death penalty is a destructive and divisive public policy that has been shown to have no special deterrent effect on crime. It distracts from effective measures being taken against criminality through promoting simplistic responses to complex human problems. It denies the possibility of rehabilitation and reconciliation. It prolongs the suffering of the murder victim’s family, and extends that suffering to the relatives of the condemned prisoner. Amnesty International, Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, Belarusian Helsinki Committee does not seek to belittle the suffering of the families of murder victims, and recognizes and endorses a government’s duty to protect the rights of all people under its jurisdiction. However, executions are a symptom of a culture of violence rather than a solution to it. By executing a person the state commits a premeditated killing and shows a similar readiness to use physical violence as the criminal.

In Belarus the use of the death penalty is compounded by a flawed criminal justice system that administers capital punishment in a manner that violates international laws and standards pertaining to the death penalty. There is credible evidence that torture and ill-treatment are used to extract “confessions”; condemned prisoners may not have access to effective appeal mechanisms; and the inherently cruel, inhuman and degrading nature of the death penalty is compounded for death row prisoners and their relatives by the secrecy surrounding the death penalty. Neither prisoners nor their families are told the execution date in advance and prisoners must live with the fear that every time their cell door opens they may be taken for execution.

We call on the President and Parliament of Belarus to immediately declare a moratorium on death sentences and executions as a first step towards full abolition of the death penalty.

The number of signatories 17 565

Name Country Date of fill
Guillaume Loiselle-Noudreau Les Méchins, Canada 19.02.2017
Darmangeat Pierre Le Grand Bourg, France 19.02.2017
frank cloche st andre de cubzac, france 19.02.2017
Roman Soiko princeton, USA 19.02.2017
Peter Hogan Hogan BELFAST, United Kingdom 19.02.2017
Owais Maqbool Bari Berkeley, United States 19.02.2017
Louise Mercier Louise Kensington, USA 19.02.2017
Marie Ocana voulangis, France 19.02.2017
Thivend Pierre Villeurbanne, France 19.02.2017
Blot Jacques 75014 Paris, Fance 19.02.2017
vermorel Catherine 19.02.2017
OUTCHARRAFT MBARK TATA, MOROCO 18.02.2017
Mabon Anne marie 18.02.2017
ambre ronceret bruges, france 18.02.2017
Michel DURIEU SAINTE SIGOLENE, France 18.02.2017
Lamaison Maryvonne Montmartin en graignes, France 18.02.2017
Colin Cyril Bignoux, France 18.02.2017
Räber-keel Räber-keel Montpellier, France 18.02.2017
BOISSIERE Jan-Mari Saint-georges-de-luzençon, France 18.02.2017
David Fairn Langley, Canada 18.02.2017
Maria Cañellas Palma, Spain 18.02.2017
Maureen McKeown Belfast, United Kingdom 18.02.2017
Farrés Ramon Barcelona, Catalonia 18.02.2017
Florence Lapouille Chambery, France 18.02.2017
havard evy 18.02.2017
Raynaud Jean-David Le Grès, France 18.02.2017
POITTEVIN Robert ÉTRÉCHY, France 18.02.2017
Lescure Patrick Saint-Bauzile, France 18.02.2017
Mohammad Yousuf Shah Srinagar, India 18.02.2017
BOREL Bernadette SAINT SYMPHORIEN D'OZON, France 18.02.2017
Sandra Gondi-Gandzion Bois-d'arcy, France 18.02.2017
GENISSIEUX andre 18.02.2017
MOGENSEN ANNE ANNE PARIS, FRANCE 18.02.2017
Glenn Muschert Oxford, United States 18.02.2017
Christian SCHMITT BEYNES 78650, France 18.02.2017
PERRICHON MP 18.02.2017
musat alina le Mans, France 18.02.2017
Mme BREMOND Marie-Jeanne LE REVEST LES EAUX, FRANCE 18.02.2017
Tarek Enaia almajdal, Palestine 18.02.2017
Françoise Corgier Roanne, France 18.02.2017
Sophie Devos Hoymille, France 18.02.2017
BOUVARD Isabelle BAGNEUX, FRANCE 18.02.2017
dionisio arnaud Ivry, france 18.02.2017
Mehdi Cherif Umeå, Sweden 18.02.2017
ROMET Daniel Lussas, France 18.02.2017
Evelyne Chikondi Chikwamba Dzimwe, Malawi 18.02.2017
Colliot Isabelle Brindas, France 18.02.2017
Prince Ifesinachi Ogbu Enugu, Nigeria 18.02.2017
Mark Hollinrake Rochdale, UK 18.02.2017
LAIRIE Alain SQY, FRANCE 18.02.2017
Ollivier Pinay Pinay 18.02.2017
Mireille Urbain Marseille, France 18.02.2017
PHANDARASAR FENIES BAGNEUX, FRANCE 18.02.2017
Agnès Lacornerie Clermont-Ferrand, France 18.02.2017
Anne-Marie KOUNGA PARIS, FRANCE 18.02.2017
Falcou Sonia Lorient, France 18.02.2017
Verdon Benoit Paris, France 18.02.2017
Hollard Jean-Jacques Lyon, France 18.02.2017
Le Gall Lina Paris, France 18.02.2017
Le sauze Jean Querrien, France 18.02.2017
Linnea Andersson 18.02.2017
Vard Christiane Valréas, France 18.02.2017
Dominique Charrieau Plesse, France 18.02.2017
Elisabeth Guibert Bruyères, France 18.02.2017
Anthony Smith London, United Kingdom 18.02.2017
Jean-Charles CABANEL 28944 Fuenlabrada (Madrid), España 18.02.2017
boduin-raymond caroline pluneret, France 18.02.2017
Isabelle Fourquaux Castanet-Tolosan, France 18.02.2017
AMMERICH Albane Strasbourg, France 18.02.2017
COURONNE Bernard MONTBRISON, FRANCE 18.02.2017
Simon Thierry Lorient, France 18.02.2017
lemaire philippe St Gervais, france 18.02.2017
Bachelier Béatrice 18.02.2017
Silvia Bezoari 18.02.2017
Ranise Michel Paris, France 18.02.2017
Somerhausen Patrick La hulpe, Belgium 18.02.2017
JAHN Ursula Villers-Cotterêts, France 18.02.2017
Gobert Daniel Bruxelles, Belgium 18.02.2017
Dacenko jeanne Paris, France 18.02.2017
Christie Miedema 18.02.2017
Chaubit Claude GRADIGNAN, france 18.02.2017
Ana Cleja Cleja Fumel France, France 18.02.2017
BRET Danile Aix-les-bains, France 18.02.2017
Garrigues Paul Dijon, France 18.02.2017
Baby Ludovic Dijon, France 18.02.2017
DUWEZ Francis Francis CORAY, France 18.02.2017
Shanell Haure Pessac, France 18.02.2017
Vergniol-Orengo Claudine Mazamet, France 18.02.2017
Saget Daniele Daniele REIMS, France 18.02.2017
Barthelemy Michel Asnieres sur Seine, France 18.02.2017
FABRE Serge Montpellier, France 18.02.2017
kremer michel vizille, france 18.02.2017
Sylviane Chambellant Paris, France 18.02.2017
madeleine walter walter paris, France 18.02.2017
patricia sequier 18.02.2017
Omar Ali Ewado Djibouti, Djibouti 18.02.2017
Alexander Tanaskidis Thessaloniki, Greece 18.02.2017
Moulin Jacqueline Marseille, France 18.02.2017
Denis Renier Roubaix, France 18.02.2017
Blandine Boulekone Port-Vila, Vanuatu 18.02.2017

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