{"id":159606,"date":"2025-10-11T11:26:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T08:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/159606\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"eu-coe-urge-belarus-to-introduce-legal-moratorium-on-death-penalty","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/159606\/","title":{"rendered":"EU, CoE urge Belarus to introduce legal moratorium on death penalty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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October 11, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The European Union and the Council of Europe (CoE) called on Belarus and other countries where the death penalty is applied to introduce a legal moratorium as a first step towards its full abolition on World Day Against the Death Penalty on October 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus remains the only country in Europe where death penalty still exists, a joint statement said, stressing the \u201cunequivocal opposition to the death penalty, in all cases and in all circumstances.” The punishment is cruel, irreversible, prone to abuse and lacks evidence of being a deterrent, while its execution is inhuman and represents the ultimate denial of human dignity, it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudies consistently show that states with capital punishment do not have lower crime rates than those without,\u201d the statement reads. \u201cThe death penalty also makes miscarriages of justice irreversible and any reformation and social rehabilitation impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CoE and the EU pledged to oppose any reintroduction of the death penalty and to promote open and democratic debate aimed at its complete abolition worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement also welcomed the Regional Congress against the Death Penalty in Japan in November and the World Congress against the Death Penalty in France in 2026, showcasing the leadership role of civil society in advocating for a world free of capital punishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 400 inmates have been executed over the past 20 years in Belarus. Only a few cases of clemency are known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amendments to the Criminal Code of Belarus adopted in 2023 expanded the use of the death penalty, providing for the execution of officials and military personnel for high treason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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