Death convict’s mother receives son’s belongings

On August 20, Tamara Sialiun, mother of death convict Pavel Sialiun, who was executed in April for a double murder, picked up her dead son’s things at the Hrodna Regional Court. There, she was given a few dozen tapes, CDs, LPs, mobile phones and other items that belonged to Pavel.

Tamara Sialiun was accompanied by local human rights activists and journalists. The woman said that it was very difficult psychologically to go on this trip, but she had received a document saying that she should pick up the things by September 1.

The situation is commented upon by Hrodna human rights defenders:

Viktar Sazonau: “The death penalty is savagery and every citizen of our country is responsible to some extent for the fact that it is being applied. If, for example, there is a miscarriage of justice and a person is shot by mistake, the blood of the innocent victim will be on every citizen of the state that allows itself to kill people. We, as human rights activists, should make every effort that the death penalty was soon canceled.”

Raman Yurhel: “Morally, it is very difficult not only to the relatives of those killed as a result of the crime, but also to the relatives of convicts, those who were shot on behalf of the state. Society should be more humane to all, and the government must first of all at the legislative level impose a moratorium on the death penalty, so as not to multiply the hatred in the society.”