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
Olga Bykhovska Kyiv 30.03.2011
Hanna Dobrynska Kyiv 30.03.2011
Dominik Roblek Zurich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Остап Кучма Киев 30.03.2011
Елена Скрипник Киев 30.03.2011
Sauthier Françoise Nidau Switzerland 30.03.2011
Moesch, Beatrice Cham, Schweiz 30.03.2011
Maria Radziejowska Warsaw, Poland 30.03.2011
Brunner Dominique Zurich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Валентина Дудзяна Львов Украина 30.03.2011
Lein, Andreas Zurich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Burckhardt Sibylle Ennetbaden Switzerland 30.03.2011
Fretz Raphael Oftringen, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Richard Claudine Orbe, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Guerry Julie Fribourg, Suisse 30.03.2011
Katrin Moser Zürich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Linder, Jean-Marc Vercorin, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Willi Feuerstein Gaissau Austria 30.03.2011
Isabel Günter Zürich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Дутка олена Львів 30.03.2011
Klauser Raphael St.Gallen 30.03.2011
Gnehm Claire Romanel sur Lausanne - Suisse 30.03.2011
Анастасія Соголовська Львів 30.03.2011
Muster, Alexandra Zürich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Sauthier Nathalie Genève, Suisse 30.03.2011
Thorimbert Denis Geneva, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Анатолий Чайкин Луцк Волынской области Украины 30.03.2011
Lorenz Dagmar Zürich Switzerland 30.03.2011
Ирина Косова Киев 30.03.2011
Олеся Корженевськая Киев 30.03.2011
Saxer Irene Gossau SG / Switzerland 30.03.2011
Lida Yershykhina Ukraine 30.03.2011
Inna Guleac Chisinau 30.03.2011
Yevgeniya Slozka Kyiv 30.03.2011
Стельмащук Наталія Львів, Україна 30.03.2011
Tamar, Japaridze Tbilisi, Georgia 30.03.2011
Puskar, Alla Collogne, Germany 30.03.2011
Людмила Турик Львов 30.03.2011
Таня Мазур Киев, Украина 30.03.2011
Татьяна Печончик Киев 30.03.2011
Angela Delli Priscoli Romanel, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Андрій Стрехалюк Київ 30.03.2011
Steck Laure-Anne Zürich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Иванова Надежда Киев 30.03.2011
Alex Fielding Camrose, Canada 30.03.2011
Nelly Soder Geneva Switzerland 30.03.2011
Наталия Лужецкая Львов 30.03.2011
Maria Elena, Vignoli Modena, Italy 30.03.2011
Юлія Нузбан Гаага 30.03.2011
Тамара Марценюк Нью-Йорк 30.03.2011
Laetsch, Winfried Berlin, Germany 30.03.2011
Edelmann Andreas Bad Zurzach, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Gribi Bea switzerland 30.03.2011
Gabi Räth CH 30.03.2011
akdeniz aykut Stilli switzerland 30.03.2011
Georgette Zaugg CH-4702 Oensingen/Switzerland 30.03.2011
Parpan-Dericum, Christa Almens, Zwitserland 30.03.2011
Nadia Fernandez Herrliberg, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Koch Anina Schweiz 30.03.2011
Nathalie Voeffray Geneva Switzerland 30.03.2011
Tim Rüdiger St. Gallen, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Rieder monique Savagnier Suisse 30.03.2011
Andrea Bischoff emmenbrücke, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Hürzeler Hedwig Burgdorf, Schweiz 30.03.2011
Margaux Queval Basel, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Durand Valérie Geneva, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Brezina Lidia Switzerland 30.03.2011
Angela Stobbe Waiblingen, Germany 30.03.2011
Meyer-Hirt Silvia Zurich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Mercier Chantal Vevey, Switzerland 30.03.2011
CharlotteTouati Colombier Suisse 30.03.2011
Auchter-Meile Vreni Switzerland 30.03.2011
Auchter-Meile Eugen Switzerland 30.03.2011
Gyarmati Segui, Gabriela Louise Winterthur, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Nicole Chantal Lausanne, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Peter Ernst Magden, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Koch Irene 5032 aarau rohr, switzerland 30.03.2011
Henk-Riethmüller, Ursula Liebenburg, Germany 30.03.2011
Budry, Maryelle Carouge, Suisse 30.03.2011
Christina Eng Iffwil, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Jandrlic, Hanna La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Keller Anne-Marie Bussy-sur-Moudon Suisse 30.03.2011
Brändle Sonja St. Gallen, Schweiz 30.03.2011
Christine, Scheibelhut Giessen, Germany 30.03.2011
Poncioni Philippe Arconciel, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Gerhard Gstrein Engelburg, St. Gallen, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Grobet Madeleine Basel, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Engelhard, Martin Zurich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Daniela, Gugg Zurich, Switzerland 30.03.2011
ferachry côte d'Ivoire 30.03.2011
Christina Barblan Thun, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Butty, Olivier Genève, Suisse 30.03.2011
Omini, Marco Contra, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Pornphen, Tongpark Winterthur, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Setrdle, Anja Bern, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Weber Marielle Fribourg, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Sylvie Thévenoz Genève Suisse 30.03.2011
Deibe Rafael Zürich, switzerland 30.03.2011
Joubli Amina Neuchâtel, Switzerland 30.03.2011
Oertle Ernst Niederrohrdorf Switzerland 30.03.2011

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