News on the topic: death penalty
19.03.2015 One hundred death penalty free countries within reach after Fiji becomes number 99
A couple of weeks ago, on 13 February, we woke up to the good news that Fiji had joined the ranks of countries to abolish the death penalty for all crimes. There are now 99 countries who have completely scrapped the ultimate cruel and inhuman punishment from their laws – exactly half of all states in the world.
18.03.2015 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.
16.03.2015 Tamara Sialiun appeals to Constitutional Court
Tamara Sialiun, mother of an executed death row convict Pavel Sialiun, has filed an appeal to the Constitutional Court. In it, she draws attention to the fact that the present practice of executing the death penalty and implementation of Article 175 of the Criminal Executive Code of the Republic of Belarus brings the suffering to the families and friends of those executed.
13.03.2015 Tamara Sialiun's appeal is beyond court jurisdiction
Leninski District Court of Hrodna refused to institute civil proceedings against the Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Interior on appeal of Tamara Sialiun concerning the fact of sending her the prison robe of her son, death row convict Pavel Sialiun, after his execution.
11.03.2015 Minsk Regional Court to consider Mikhail Hladki's appeal
The consideration of Mr. Hladki's appeal against the verdict of Minsk City Court will take place at 10 a.m. on March 13 at Minsk Regional Court.
06.03.2015 Death penalty in theory and practice. Comments to the National Report
The National Report for the Universal Periodic Review (second cycle), prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been published.
02.03.2015 Exhibition of posters against death penalty opens in Homel
On February 27, the Homel-based socio-political center hosted the opening of an exhibition entitled “Six Arguments Against the Death Penalty”. The exposition features posters by artist Aleh Ablazhei and works from the funds of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. The exhibition will last a week.
27.02.2015 Death convict’s mother writes to UN Human Rights Committee
Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed on charges of murder, has submitted an individual complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee. She complains of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by the state. The woman has exhausted all the domestic remedies, but was unable to force officials to inform her about the time and place of the funeral of her executed son
25.02.2015 Death convict’s mother complains of inhuman treatment
Tamara Sialiun, mother of Pavel Sialiun, who was executed in the spring of 2014, argues that the authorities deliberately cause mental suffering to the families of executed prisoners, thus violating the constitutional rights of citizens.
19.02.2015 Volha Hrunova: Mother should know where her son is buried
Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed on charges of murder, has filed a supervisory appeal to the Chairman of the Homel Regional Court Siarhei Shautsou, after her civil lawsuit against the Homel Regional Court and the Department of Corrections was rejected earlier this month.
10.02.2015 Presidential administration believes that issuance of bodies of executed for burial can cause negative excesses
Head of the main department for work with appeals of citizens and legal entities of the Presidential Administration Stanislau Buko refused to put the question of amending the legislation, which prohibits to issue the bodies of executed death row convicts to their relatives, on the agenda of the Constitutional Court.
04.02.2015 Judicial board of Homel Regional Court rejects the appeal of a death convict's mother
Judicial board on civil cases of the Homel Regional Court refused to verify the claims of the mother of an executed death convicts, Volha Hrunova to the state, upholding the verdict of the Tsentralny District Court of Homel which refused to institute civil proceedings against the Homel Regional Court and the Department of Corrections, who refuse to disclose the burial place of Aliaksandr Hrunou.
31.01.2015 Russia won't overturn death penalty ban - Chairman of Human Rights Council
Chairman of the Human Rights Council Mikhail Fedotov says that no one has the right to demand to overturn ban on death penalty, following a proposal of a group of Russian lawmakers to lift the ban, RIA Novosti reported on Friday.
30.01.2015 Andrei Paluda: Crime must not be deterred through the death penalty, but through ban on cheap alcohol
Talking to reporters during a press conference on 28 January, President Aliaksandr Lukashenka spoke emotionally about the death penalty. In particular, he mentioned several recent crimes that received a wide media and public coverage: “I am increasingly attracted by the fact that a person must be put against a wall for murder."
29.01.2015 The death penalty. Burial of executed prisoners.
Liudmila Mikhalkova, Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, believes that there is no need to change the legislation which prohibits issuing the bodies of the executed prisoners to their relatives for burial. Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, Chairman of the Homel branch of the NGO “Legal Initiative”, disagrees with the MP.
