Minsk, Berlin in talks over death sentence for German man

July 20, Pozirk. The Belarusian foreign ministry has indicated that discussions have been held with the German foreign office regarding the situation of a German citizen convicted in Belarus of terrorism and mercenarism.

The ministry has not named the man, but it is clear from the context that it is Rico Krieger. It has omitted the fact that Belarus sentenced him to death.

Today, the ministry’s unofficial Telegram channel shared an article by the Russian pro-Kremlin website EADaily saying that investigators had proved Krieger’s complicity in sabotage in Belarus’ Homiel and Mahiloŭ regions and Russia’s Bryansk province. The channel, Glas MIDa, linked the repost to a comment from Anatol Hłaz. The spokesman for the Belarusian foreign office said:

“This criminal is a German citizen and we understand the concern of the German side. In full compliance with international norms and bilateral agreements, the Belarusian side has ensured consular access to this person.”

In response to a request from the German Federal Foreign Office, the government of Belarus has put forward a series of proposals, he said. Discussions on this matter are currently under way between the foreign ministries of the two countries, he added.

Earlier, political analyst Alexander Friedman suggested that Krieger may be Alaksandar Łukašenka’s “trump card” for talks with Germany. The man may have been captured in Ukraine by the Russians, “who traditionally use Belarus for their ends,” he said.

“Now there are games with the West. In this case, the Kremlin needs Belarus as a country with the death penalty to raise the stakes.”

Friedman added that Moscow and Minsk may try to swap Krieger for Vadim Krasikov, an officer of the Russian secret service FSB who was sentenced to life in Germany.

On July 19, the Viasna Human Rights Center confirmed that the Minsk Regional Court had sentenced the 30-year-old German national to death on June 24. The death sentence was first reported by the Telegram channel MotolkoPomogi.

Krieger was charged with illegal handling of firearms, ammunition or explosives; deliberate disabling of a vehicle or lines of communication; creation of or participation in an extremist formation; an act of terrorism; covert operations; and mercenarism.

The German foreign ministry is aware of the sentence, the ministry’s press office told Pozirk on July 19. The Federal Foreign Office and the embassy in Minsk are providing Krieger with consular assistance and actively defending his interests before the Belarusian authorities, it said. The ministry denounced the death penalty as a cruel, inhumane and unacceptable form of punishment. Germany advocates for its abolition around the world, it said.