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
grandjean renee basel swizerland 29.03.2011
Manfred Friedag D-48531 Nordhorn 29.03.2011
Zuchuat Isabelle Bramois, Suisse 29.03.2011
Andres Daniel Biel, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Tobler, Nadine Baden, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Anja Mugil Wettingen, Switzerland 29.03.2011
seiler peter interlaken, switzerland 29.03.2011
Remlein, Sabrina Hamburg, Deutschland 29.03.2011
Söldi Andrea Winterthur, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Michel P. SCHALLER Suisse 29.03.2011
De Kegel, Catherine Engelberg, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Hemes Christine Grandson, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Weber, Ursula Uster, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Richon Denis DELEMONT, SWITZERLAND 29.03.2011
Richter, Angelika Kreuzlingen, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Bireima, Natalie Lausanne, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Resin Michèle Françoise Yverdon-les-Bains Switzerland 29.03.2011
Hochreutener Ursina Zurich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Ullmann Lawrence Montreux, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Steffen Richard Zuerich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Chaubert Irène Bex, Suisse 29.03.2011
Ropp Emilie Geneva, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Michèle et Françoise Resin Yverdon-les-Bains Switzerland 29.03.2011
Baumberger, Michaela St. Gallen, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Mattle Heinz Zürich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Michael Pfisterer Basel, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Leuthard, Denise Züürich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Diana Arioli Zurich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Cryer-Schneider Barbara Stäfa, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Michael Rutz Buchs, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Baumgartner Annemarie Switzerland 29.03.2011
Olloz, Andreas Basel, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Holger, Klein Frankfurt, Germany 29.03.2011
Daniel Fleischmann Gailingen, Germany 29.03.2011
Silvia Messmer Boniswil, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Ebneter Alexandra Malans, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Lencel, Danijela Zürich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Kramer Dominik Switzerland, Ennetbaden 29.03.2011
Pierre Nicolas Lausanne, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Irena Backus Thônex, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Alice Siggen Conthey, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Fabio Boer S.Domenica di Ricadi Italy 29.03.2011
Maya Goerner S.Domenica di Ricadi Italy 29.03.2011
Diefenbacher Werner Switzerland 29.03.2011
Franz, Olloz Zullwil, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Ter-Nedden Brigitte 8951 Fahrweid, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Niggli Rolf Baar, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Lucchetta Renzo Winterthur, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Gerber Bernadette Siebnen/Switzerland 29.03.2011
Sara Losa La Chaux-de-Fonds 29.03.2011
Martina Degonda Brugg, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Iris Pfister Cavigliano, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Rossi, Daniel Uster, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Rossi, Olivier Lausanne, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Kramer Markus Moerschwil, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Ursula Moor Rombach, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Heidi Chervet-Müller Praz, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Maria Godoy Suisse, Lausanne 29.03.2011
Vollenhals Monika Germany 29.03.2011
Gabriela Stalder Chur Switzerland 29.03.2011
Claire Eichenberger Fribourg, Switzerland 29.03.2011
von Hoesslin, Elisabeth BRD 29.03.2011
Boillat Marie Saignelégier, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Kahwajy Brigitte Villars-sur-Glâne, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Michelle Hufschmid Zurich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Emanouil Varouxis Basel, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Bürgisser Bruno Boswil, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Jäggi Miranda Boswil, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Marchand Valérie La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Bühler, Claudia Zürich, Schweiz 29.03.2011
Ackermann Franz 8603 Schwerzenbach, Schweiz CH 29.03.2011
Egli Brigitte Zürich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Léda Gerber Lausanne, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Felscher, Susanne Basel, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Rutz Magdalena CH-4410 Liestal, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Maier, Carmen Frankfurt, Germany 29.03.2011
Muench,Dieter Wiesbaden,Germany 29.03.2011
frattini joel switzerland 29.03.2011
Hug, Markus Chambesy / Switzerland 29.03.2011
Falck Lennart Winterthur, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Kirchschlaeger, Peter Lucerne, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Anita Holdener Aarau, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Angelo Zehr St.Gallen, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Stutz Pierre Lausanne Switzerland 29.03.2011
Esther Becker Zurich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Gehring Christiane Winterthur / Schweiz 29.03.2011
Lachenmeier Urs Murg Switzerland 29.03.2011
Mathias Burki Leukerbad, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Ruggle Ilona zurich Switzerland 29.03.2011
Benedict Arpagaus Einsiedeln. Switzerland 29.03.2011
Tabbal, Delphine Carouge, Swizerland 29.03.2011
Meitner, Yvonne Zürich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Ingrid truebin 79348 Freiamt, Germany 29.03.2011
Karin Hutter Zurich, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Cornel Doswald Bremgarten AG, Switzerland 29.03.2011
Agnes Masafret Aadorf Switzerland 29.03.2011
melanie Pipilis Stuttgart, Germany 29.03.2011
Alanko Schmid, Tuija Zeiningen, Switzerland 29.03.2011
richter suisse 29.03.2011
Copes, Celeste Switzerland 29.03.2011

Sign the petition