Man sentenced to death in Rechytsa

On March 18, the Rechytsa District Court sentenced Siarhei Ivanou, 21, to death on charges of murdering and raping a 19-year-old girl on 29 August 2013.

Besides murder charges committed with special cruelty and conjugated with sexual assault (Part 2, Art. 139 of the Criminal Code), the death convict was accused of malicious hooliganism (Part 2, Art. 339 of the Criminal Code), robbery (Part 2, Art. 206), inflicting serious bodily injuries (para. 7, Part 2, Art. 147), theft (Part 2, Art. 205), other acts of sexual nature (Part 3, Art. 167).

The trial was held behind closed doors and the charges were most likely heard by a court of a different level, since cases which may result in a death verdict are normally considered by Regional Courts.

According to the BelaPAN news agency, the defendant had been repeatedly convicted and was intoxicated, including as a result of abusing psychotropic substances, at the time of the murder.