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
Марк Малько Минск 17.03.2011
Марыя Калеснікава Мінск 16.03.2011
Алена Шарамет Менск 16.03.2011
Christina Cuénod Oberrohrdorf, Switzerland 16.03.2011
Dr Ruediger Scheibl Zuerich, Switzerland 16.03.2011
Ballanfat Stéphanie Genève, Suisse 16.03.2011
Paul Kocian Disentis, Switzerland 15.03.2011
Hänggi, Susanne Basel, Switzerland 15.03.2011
Hunziker Judith Geneva 14.03.2011
Marco Leibundgut Switzerland 14.03.2011
Vöhringer Nina Switzerland 14.03.2011
Niggli, Kaj Basel, Switzerland 13.03.2011
вы все уроды,живите спокойно Ельня 12.03.2011
Прохар Юлiя Магiлёу 12.03.2011
Annette Fuchs Schweiz 12.03.2011
Albers, Klaus Volketswil, Switzerland 12.03.2011
Nora, Sandmeier Praha, Ceska Republika 12.03.2011
Ines de Crombrugghe de Looringhe Newfane, VT 11.03.2011
Vontobel, Adelheid Basel, Switzerland 11.03.2011
janicke johansen Oetwil a/S, Switzerland 11.03.2011
Галацэвіч Кірыла Магілеў 11.03.2011
Maître Carole Suisse 10.03.2011
Valeria Rolli Ticino, Svizzera 10.03.2011
Bär rahel Horgen Schweiz 10.03.2011
Galloni Vanessa Lugano, Switzerland 09.03.2011
Fiona Berkeley Geneva, Switzerland 09.03.2011
Le Hénanf Marine Geneva , Switzerland 08.03.2011
Stagakis Fereniki Basel, Switzerland 08.03.2011
KUMMER Antonin Geneva. Switzerland 08.03.2011
Koch, Gabriele Switzerland 08.03.2011
Daniela, Stehlin Basel, Switzerland 08.03.2011
Hodel Mirja Zug, switzerland 08.03.2011
Anouk Stucky Switzerland 08.03.2011
Brand Sandra Switzerland 07.03.2011
Jungo Dominique Clarens, Switzerland 07.03.2011
Anna Suter Basel Switzerland 07.03.2011
Du Bois-Cassani Sylvie Genève Suisse 07.03.2011
Peter Früh Basel 07.03.2011
Stefanie Freudenthaler 5610 Wohlen, Switzerland 07.03.2011
huguenin marianne 1884 Ollon Switzerland 06.03.2011
Florin Barbara Waedenswil, 8820 06.03.2011
Pascal Germann Morges, Switzerland 06.03.2011
Hermann Daniel Zürich, Switzerland 06.03.2011
Debora Ferrari Cernier, Switzerland 06.03.2011
Stanic Elisabeth Switzerland 06.03.2011
Christine Supersaxo La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland 06.03.2011
Waldesbühl Theresa 5412 Vogelsang, Switzerland 06.03.2011
Gehrer Marianne Riehen, Switzerland 06.03.2011
Küch marie-josé Cugy Suisse 06.03.2011
Anne-Catherine Folly Chappuis Fribourg, Suisse 05.03.2011
Buchli Ruth Rothenbrunnen, Switzerland 05.03.2011
Elisabeth Peyer Villars-sur-Glâne 05.03.2011
Diana DEY Chézard, Switzerland 05.03.2011
Stierli Andrea Zurich, Switzerland 04.03.2011
Meyer Catherine Neuchâtel, Switzerland 04.03.2011
Wegmann Erwin Tagelswangen, Switzerland 04.03.2011
Elisabeth Zobel Switzerland 04.03.2011
Brigitte Terim Zürich, Switzerland 04.03.2011
Susanne Fleischli Switzerland, Bern 04.03.2011
Kohli Marie Lea PULLY SWITZERLAND 03.03.2011
Annette Dubois Geneva, Switzerland 03.03.2011
Bucher Irma Meggen Switzerland 03.03.2011
Monica Gemperli Switzerland 03.03.2011
Clerson, Jean-François Echichens, Suisse 03.03.2011
Павел Слепухин Борисов 03.03.2011
Вячеслав Борисов Минск 03.03.2011
Вячеслав Борисов Минск 03.03.2011
Светлана Борисова минск 03.03.2011
Александр Борисов Минск 03.03.2011
Vollenweider, Noëmi Zürich, Schweiz 03.03.2011
Thorimbert Jean-Pierre Switzerland 03.03.2011
Françoise SCHMID Genva - Switzerland 03.03.2011
Cléa Robin 1896 Vouvry Switzerland 03.03.2011
Patthey Jacqueline 1807 Blonay, Switzerland 03.03.2011
a-star Менск 03.03.2011
Florian Knappe Zürich, Switzerland 03.03.2011
Grandgiard Marie-Jo La Corbaz Switzerland 03.03.2011
Grandi Rebekka 4514 Lommiswil, Suisse 03.03.2011
fournier sylvain genève Suisse 03.03.2011
Алеся Чарняўская Мінск 02.03.2011
Suremann Monika Schweiz 02.03.2011
Raffaela Castellari Sessa, Switzerland 01.03.2011
FUHRER DOMINIQUE GENEVA SWITZERLAND 01.03.2011
Schuessler, Christa Brunnen, Switzerland 01.03.2011
гаурыленка аляксей магилеу 01.03.2011
Renz Juerg Münchenstein, Switzerland 01.03.2011
BRUNNER Corinne Fontainemelon, Switzerland 01.03.2011
delphine bourgeois geneva switzerland 28.02.2011
Евгений Воротынский Минск 28.02.2011
Roman NIedermann Herisau CH 28.02.2011
deonucui guk минск 27.02.2011
сергей жук солигорск 27.02.2011
светлана жук солигорск 27.02.2011
Klenk Karl Steffisburg, Switzerland 27.02.2011
Renaud Claire Switzerland 27.02.2011
Alessandro Suter Basel, Switzerland 27.02.2011
Lea Egloff Baden, Switzerland 27.02.2011
Weber, Dorothea Dübendorf, Switzerland 27.02.2011
Rocchi Hannah Bern, Switzerland 27.02.2011
Жукова Дарья Минск 26.02.2011

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