Will torture become criminal in Belarus?
The Belarusian Ministry of the Interior has initiated the introduction of the term “torture” into the Criminal Code, following a request by Ksenia Dubitskaya, graduate of the Human Rights School.
Similar request demanding to clarify the notion has also been submitted to the Council of Ministers in order to bring the legislation in line with the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
According to Deputy Minister of the Interior Mr. Kurylets, a bill on amending the criminal legislation is due to be considered by the House of Representatives in April 2012. The amendments are going to be drafted by the General Prosecutor’s Office.
“It is high time to define criminal responsibility for using torture. We can see that the position of the Interior Ministry on the issue is rather clear. Is the General Prosecutor’s Office ready to consider torture as a grave offence and introduce changes to the Criminal Code? It is for Ryhor Vasilevich (General Prosecutor) to decide. I hope that he, as former chair of the Supreme Court, shares the human rights defenders’ opinion on the issue”, says Mrs. Ksenia Dubitskaya.
