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
Meynet Fred Bonne, France 24.10.2013
Ludovic Urso Lyon, France 24.10.2013
LE KERNEAU Sylvie 24.10.2013
Amandine Ménis Fricourt, France 24.10.2013
Lombard Shanty VILLENEUVE-LOUBET, France 24.10.2013
Isabelle Marengo Marseille, France 24.10.2013
Emilie Frasier Paris, France 24.10.2013
Екатерина Шутова Омск, Россия 24.10.2013
José Latarlouze Maury, France 24.10.2013
Cori Antoine Le perreux sur Marne, France 24.10.2013
Laplume Marlène Saint Just Saint Rambert, France 24.10.2013
Bressanut Carlo Diekirch, Lëtzebuerg 24.10.2013
Aurélie Laporte Genève, Switzerland 24.10.2013
Laurent Lacaze France, Toulouse 24.10.2013
VARDON Stéphane ST CYR L'ECOLE, FRANCE 24.10.2013
Poac Maxime Nantes, France 24.10.2013
Eric Lombard 24.10.2013
Damien LERY Tours, France 24.10.2013
Mancier Damien Meaux, France 24.10.2013
GALLOT Damien Nantes, France 24.10.2013
gillot-rouillard damien dijon, france 24.10.2013
Viaud Mikael Strasbourg, France 24.10.2013
Lilian Delhomme Saint-Etienne, France 24.10.2013
Klaus Miret Luxembourg, Luxembourg 24.10.2013
MARCHAND ROMUALD FRANCE, BORDEAUX 24.10.2013
masy didier france, maubeuge 24.10.2013
Catieau Steve Paris, France 24.10.2013
Hervieux Veronique EPONE, France 24.10.2013
Philippe Pascal Cognac, France 24.10.2013
PIERROT Raphaël Montfermeil, France 24.10.2013
Yohan Pomies Albi, France 24.10.2013
de pauw steve montevrain, france 24.10.2013
Bastié Nicolas Brussels, Belgium 24.10.2013
Moreau Olivier ATHIS MONS, France 24.10.2013
Guérin Nicolas Toulouse, France 24.10.2013
FABIEN DESCHAMPS RETOURNAC, France 24.10.2013
aguilar céline montauban, france 24.10.2013
Demolières Olivier Paris, France 24.10.2013
Buisson-Barge Sylvain MONTPELLIER, FRANCE 24.10.2013
taillantout vincent jessy bordeaux, france 24.10.2013
Анастасия Рудакова Москва, Россия 24.10.2013
Wilmann Allan Tours, France 24.10.2013
Valērija Pašegorova Riga, Latvia 24.10.2013
Nina Leroy Leroy Narbonne, France 24.10.2013
NICOLAS CLEMENCE CLERMONT FERRAND, France 24.10.2013
Talon Émilie Grandvillars, France 24.10.2013
bouvret cecile chatenoy le royal, france 24.10.2013
Christian Garre Marseille, France 24.10.2013
Roelly Baptiste St Paul de Vence, France 24.10.2013
Reveau Thomas Paris, France 24.10.2013
louvet loic ermont, france 24.10.2013
Kev Adams Paris, France 24.10.2013
Matthias Menguy Brest, France 24.10.2013
thibaut evelyne la gueriniere, france 24.10.2013
Alicia Chevalier Caen, France 24.10.2013
meunier maryse herblay, France 24.10.2013
fiorentino veronique gigean, France 24.10.2013
Azevedo Laurent Clermont Ferrand, France 24.10.2013
Mertens Arnaud Bruxelles, Belgium 24.10.2013
Fanny L Le Mans, France 24.10.2013
gaillard tifenn mordelles, france 24.10.2013
CESARI PASCAL BESANCON, FRANCE 24.10.2013
FOURNIER Lucas Paris, FRANCE 24.10.2013
Claire Chevrier Pau, France 24.10.2013
Mulot Cedric Lyon, France 24.10.2013
манто ашикиан нина Gentilly, Франция 24.10.2013
Slater Texia Paris, France 24.10.2013
Sablayrolles Christelle 24.10.2013
Adrien Forestier Heillecourt, France 24.10.2013
Moulin olivier Brussels, Belgium 24.10.2013
PICHET Stéphane Paris, France 24.10.2013
Pradeau Philippe Chateauneuf du faou, France 24.10.2013
sandrine girard geneva, suisse 24.10.2013
jerome Babon France, bretagne 24.10.2013
Lunair Tristan Pézenas, France 24.10.2013
Grandpierre Quentin Reims, France 24.10.2013
anthony clevenot Nancy, france 24.10.2013
boudreault sylvain longueuil, canada 24.10.2013
Gaynon Lise St clément les places, France 24.10.2013
Mael Le Drast Brest, France 24.10.2013
Isabelle Vuillaume Nancy, France 24.10.2013
Sabrina Sab METZ, FRANCE 24.10.2013
Louise CICCONE London, United Kingdom 24.10.2013
Wattin Thierry Saint Montan, France 24.10.2013
Schwindling Quentin Metz, France 24.10.2013
Sass Sebastien Paris, France 24.10.2013
Preschey jade Lyon, France 24.10.2013
Bergen Véronique Brussels, Belgium 24.10.2013
Janos Janurik 24.10.2013
De Sandro Chloé Nantes, France 24.10.2013
Lieser Laurent Cocurès, France 24.10.2013
gaillard corinne EPINAL, FRANCE 24.10.2013
Mélissa TIROT Somloire, France 24.10.2013
carpent michael 24.10.2013
karine vdv 24.10.2013
visage mathilde france, indre et loire 24.10.2013
GAILLARD THIERRY EPINAL, FRANCE 24.10.2013
Kevin Gargot Clermont-Ferrand, France 24.10.2013
BENVEGNU Alexandro Brussels, Belgium 24.10.2013
Chrystelle Guiguet Villefontaine, France 24.10.2013

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