The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

31.05.2018 PACE rapporteurs condemn two recent executions in Belarus

Yves Cruchten (Luxembourg, SOC), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, and Andrea Rigoni (Italy, ALDE), former PACE rapporteur on the situation in Belarus, have strongly condemned the execution of Aliaksei Mikhalenia and Viktor Liotau, which reportedly took place in secret in mid-May.

30.05.2018 EU deplores two new executions in Belarus

Statement by the Spokesperson on the application of the death penalty in Belarus

30.05.2018 Supreme Court confirms death sentences for Zhylnikau and Sukharko

The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences earlier handed down to Aliaksandr Zhylnikau and Viachaslau Sukharko for the murder of three people. The judgment was pronounced after the court completed hearing Zhylnikau’s appeal, while Sukharko refused to challenge the verdict.

30.05.2018 CoE: Capital punishment has no place in Europe

Spokesperson of the Secretary General: Statement by the Spokesperson on reported executions in Belarus

29.05.2018 EU ‘actively engaged with Belarus on death penalty’, says Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy

In 2017, the EU actively engaged with the Belarusian authorities on the death penalty and took action to raise awareness, as Belarus remained the only country in Europe that still applied the death penalty, Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy said.

29.05.2018 Two more executions reported in Belarus

Two death convicts, Aliaksei Mikhalenia and Viktar Liotau, have been recently executed, according to Viachaslau Sukharko, another death row inmate whose appeal was heard today at the Supreme Court.

24.05.2018 Death penalty: Belarus must be accountable to someone

Belarus is the last country in Europe to apply the death penalty. It often does so in secret.

15.05.2018 The secret executions in Europe's 'last dictatorship'

When the guards come, these inmates never know if it is for the last time. On death row in Belarus, the only country in Europe that still uses the death penalty, they are never told when they will be executed. And when it happens, it is all kept as a state secret.

19.04.2018 Time to act towards true abolition of the death penalty, say HRDs

On April 18, Minsk hosted a round table entitled “Legal aspects of the abolition of the death penalty in Belarus”. The event was organized by the Council of Europe and involved members of the Belarusian Parliament’s lower chamber and representatives of NGOs, including the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

12.04.2018 Belarus still only executioner in Europe and Central Asia

“In Europe and Central Asia, Belarus was the only country to execute people. The country carried out at least two executions in 2017; at least four new death sentences were imposed,” Amnesty International said in its Annual Report on the death penalty.

15.03.2018 Belarus: undisclosed execution comes to light

Amnesty International strongly condemns the execution of Belarusian death row prisoner, Kiryl Kazachok, in October 2017. News of his execution has only recently been disclosed by the family and brings the total number of known executions in Belarus in 2017 to two.

09.03.2018 EU statement on the execution of Kiryl Kazachok

In light of the execution in Belarus of Kiryl Kazachok, which took place in October 2017 but was brought to the public's attention only now, the European Union again reaffirms its strong opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances.

09.03.2018 PACE rapporteurs strongly condemn the execution of Kiryl Kazachok

Yves Cruchten (Luxembourg, SOC), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, and Andrea Rigoni (Italy, ALDE), former PACE rapporteur on the situation in Belarus, have strongly condemned the execution of Kiryl Kazachok, which allegedly took place in October 2017.

07.03.2018 Death row inmate Kiryl Kazachok executed

Death convict Kiryl Kazachok has been executed by shooting, according to information received by Andrei Paluda, coordinator of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty in Belarus”.