Bishkek: Cities for Life/Cities Against The Death Penalty
On 30 November the Chairperson of the Human
Rights Center
Viasna, vice-president of the
International Federation for Human Rights Ales Bialiatski took part in the
action Cities For Life/Cities Against The
Death Penalty in the capital of Kyrgyzstan,
Bishkek.
The campaign was launched by the Rome
community of Sant’Egidio in cooperation with Amnesty International and other participants of the World Coalition
Against The Death Penalty and take place every year. The first such action was
held on 30 November 2002, marking the day when the death penalty had been
abolished for the first time in the European history (1786, the principality of
Toscana). One of the main peculiarities of the action is the symbolic
illumination of a popular temple in each city that joins the movement.
The Bishkek Major Isa Amurkulov delivered a speech during the action. He paid a
special attention to the outburst of violence in Bishkek that took place in
Bishkek this year in connection with the state overturn. He also stated that
‘the state must secure the human right to life. Everyone has the right to life!
Bishkek is for life and against the death penalty!’
In a personal talk with the major Ales Bialiatski expressed the regret that Belarus
remains the last European and post-Soviet country where the death penalty is
still used, and A.Lukashenka does nothing to bring the country closer to the
European standards in this sphere.
