Rights defender: Minsk uses death penalty for political ends

October 10, Pozirk. Rights defenders have no information about the execution of death sentences in Belarus over the past two years, even though Minsk sentenced at least two persons with the death penalty in this period, Andrej Pałuda, coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty campaign, has told Pozirk.

The most recent known execution, of Viktar Skrundzik convicted of multiple murders, dates back to July 2022, the activist said on World Day Against the Death Penalty celebrated on October 10.

Belarusian authorities keep the information about death sentences secret and use it for political purposes, he noted, citing the case of German national Rico Krieger, who was convicted, pardoned and exchanged in about one month.

Belarus remains the only country in Europe to use the death penalty. About 400 inmates have been executed over the past 20 years. Only a few cases of clemency are known.

Last year’s amendments to the Criminal Code of Belarus expanded the use of the death penalty, providing for the execution of officials and military personnel for high treason.

Belarusians have no leverage to abolish the death penalty amid ongoing politically-motivated reprisals and overall secrecy, Pałuda stressed.

Also read: Krieger released in major prisoner swap – report