URGENT ACTION OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL!
Belarus executes second prisoner this year. Mogilev Regional Court has confirmed that another death-row prisoner has been executed in Belarus. At least two men remain on death row at imminent risk of execution.
The execution of Ryhor Yuzepchuk only became public knowledge on 8 May, but may have actually occurred in April. The date of his execution and the location of his grave have not been disclosed, in keeping with Belarusian law and practice.
Ryhor Yuzepchuk was sentenced to death on 25 April 2013 for the murder of his cell mate in a prison in Mogilev, eastern Belarus, in June 2012. The sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2013. Ryhor Yuzepchuk was already serving a 25-year sentence for a double murder.
At least two other men remain on death row in Belarus and there are concerns that both are at imminent risk of execution. Eduard Lykau was sentenced to death on 26 November2013 for five murders committed in 2002, 2004 and 2011. His appeal was turned down by the Supreme Court on 15 April 2014. Aliaksandr Hrunou was sentenced to death by the Homel Regional Court on 14 June 2013 for the murder of a student in 2012. On 22 October 2013 the Supreme Court overturned Aliaksandr Hrunou’s death sentence and returned the case for re-trial, but on 24 December 2013 the Homel Regional court again sentenced him to death. During the appeal, his lawyer had argued there had been a number of fair trial violations and that there was contradictory information about his mental health.
Aliaksandr Hrunou has appealed to President Lukashenka for clemency and his case is pending with the UN Human Rights Committee. It is not known if Eduard Lykau has personally appealed for clemency, but his case will automatically be considered for clemency by the relevant authority. If their appeals for clemency are rejected, they could be executed at any moment. In Belarus, prisoners are usually executed immediately after being told their appeal for clemency has been rejected. Neither their families or legal representatives are informed of the date of execution beforehand, nor are they granted a final meeting with the prisoner.
Please write immediately in Belarusian, Russian or your own language, calling on the authorities to:
- Immediately commute the death sentences of Aliaksandr Hrunou and Eduard Lykau to terms of imprisonment;
- Immediately establish an official moratorium on all death sentences and executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty in Belarus; End the secrecy on the use of the death penalty in Belarus, and return the body of an executed person to the family for burial or inform them where the body is buried and allow them access to that location.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 25 JUNE 2014 TO:
President
Alyaksandr Lukashenka
Ul. Karla Marxa 38
220016 Minsk
Belarus
Fax: +375 17 226 06 10
+375 17 222 38 72
Email: contact@president.gov.by
Salutation: Dear President
