News on the topic: death penalty
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.
28.01.2015 Minsk District Сourt turns down claim by wrongfully convicted person
On January 28, the Minsk District Court considered a lawsuit by former prisoner Mikhail Hladki, who demanded to compensate for serving 8 years in prison as a result of a wrong verdict pronounced in a murder trial back in 2002.
26.01.2015 Ban on issuing bodies of death convicts legal, says MP
Liudmila Mikhalkova, Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, has replied to a petition of Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed for the brutal murder of a student in Homel. Ms. Hrunova asked the Parliament to change the law that prohibits issuing bodies of executed prisoners for burial.
16.01.2015 Council of Republic justifies ban on issuing bodies of executed prisoners for burial
Volha Hrunova, mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed on charges of murder, received first answers to her requests about the need to change legislation prohibiting relatives to bury the bodies of executed prisoners. Liliya Maroz, Chairperson of the Standing Committee for legislation and state construction of the National Assembly, says there are no contradictions of the national legislation with the country’s Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, according to gomelspring.org.
23.12.2014 Death convict’s mother asks President to change law that prohibits returning bodies to families
Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed for the brutal murder of a student in Homel, petitions the President, both Houses of Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Government asking the officials to propose the Constitutional Court to amend the Criminal Executive Code, which prohibits returning the body of the executed person and disclosing the places of their burial.
17.12.2014 “Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty in Belarus” under patronage of Lithuanian MP
According to Dalia Kuodyte, member of Parliament of Lithuania, she will patronize the campaign “Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty in Belarus” with the intent to distribute information about this issue in the framework of her powers.
16.12.2014 Constitutional Court advises the mother of an executed death row convict to appeal to MPs, the Government and President
The mother of an executed resident of Homel Aliaksandr Hrunou, has received an answer from the Constitutional Court.
15.12.2014 Homel: court refuses to instigate criminal proceedings on the lawsuit of the death row convict Aliaksandr Hrunou's mother
The Tsentralny District Court of Homel refused to institute civil proceedings against the Homel Regional Court and the Department of Corrections, which refuse to inform Volha Hrunova about the burial place of her son. December 13 woman filed an appeal against the refusal of the district court with the Homel Regional Court.
10.12.2014 Informational action in central Minsk
December 10, “Viasna” activists congratulated passers-by on the Human Rights Day in the centre of Minsk, handing out the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and information booklets on the death penalty.
10.12.2014 Belarusian issues discussed in Lithuanian Seimas (photo)
On December 9, the eve of Human Rights Day, Vilnius hosted a discussion attended by Belarusian and Lithuanian human rights activists, community leaders and relatives of political prisoners, as well as a photo exhibition dedicated to the death penalty in Belarus.
04.12.2014 Mother of executed Homel resident applies to Constitutional Court
On the eve of the Human Rights Day the mother of the executed death row convict Aliaksandr Hrunou, Volha Hrunova, asks the Constitutional Court to pay attention to collisions of the Criminal-Executive Code which prohibits to issue the bodies of the executed to their families or inform the families about the places of their burial, contrary to the Constitution of Belarus and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
04.12.2014 Death row convict Eduard Lykau petitions Lukashenka for clemency
As reported by the Supreme Court, Eduard Lukau, sentenced to death by Minsk City Court, has filed a petition for clemency.
