Bloodbath on death row in Minsk: Third execution reported
Henadz Yakavitski during the consideration of his appeal at the Supreme Court. 8 April 2016. Photo by spring96.org
The human rights defenders’ fears of a third execution have been confirmed, after it was announced that Henadz Yakavitski was shot on November 5 in jail No. 1 in Minsk together with Ivan Kulesh and Siarhei Khmialeuski. In 2016, Belarus has executed a total of four death row inmates.
The death convict’s family members provided a document from the Minsk Regional Court, which confirms this information:
“We inform you that under the verdict of the Minsk Regional Court of 5 January 2016 your father Henadz Yakavitski sentenced under Part 3, Article 174, para. 6, 16, Part 2, Article 139 of the Criminal Code to capital punishment — the death penalty — came into force on 8 April 2016 and was executed on 5 November 2016.”
It is obvious that all the three men on death row were shot on the same day. A few days ago, the activists learned about the execution of Ivan Kulesh. On November 29, the relatives of Siarhei Khmialeuski told Andrei Paluda, coordinator of the campaign Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty in Belarus, that the death sentence in respect of him had been carried out.
A verdict of the Minsk Regional Court of 5 January 2016 sentenced Henadz Yakavitski to death, finding him guilty of murdering his partner committed with particular cruelty. On April 8, the Supreme Court confirmed the sentence.
Amnesty International issued an urgent appeal in support of Yakavitski, urging President Lukashenka to stop executions in Belarus. However, the appeal brought no results.
