EU Speaks Out Against Death Penalty In Belarus Again

• 31.03.2016, 9:39

An official representative of the European External Action Service (EEAS) has called upon Minsk to join the moratorium on death penalty.

The statement has been made in connection of upholding by the Supreme Court the death sentence handed down to Ivan Kulesh by the Hrodna Regional Court in November 2015.

“Mr Kulesh is guilty of committing serious crimes, and we confirm our deep condolences to families and friends of these crimes’ victims,” – the press release published in Brussels on Wednesday reads, Interfax reports.

It is noted in the statement of the EEAS, that the European Union will always take a stand against the death penalty.

“It has proven to be ineffective as a restraint factor and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity”, – the EU reminds.

“We urge Belarus, the only country in Europe that still applies the death penalty, to respect the right to life of each of its citizens and to join a global moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards its abolition”, – is emphasized in the EEAS communique.

It was reported that on March 10, 2016, Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Valiantsin Rybakou said that the issue of a moratorium on the death penalty or its abolishing in Belarus is not a subject for negotiation with the European Union.

“We are not at the market. There can’t be any bargaining, especially on such serious issues. We are not going to trade or change our values for some other values”, – Rybakou said.

Belarus remains the only country in Europe and the CIS, which still applies the death penalty, which is in accordance with the Constitution is applied as an exceptional measure of punishment for especially grave crimes. The sentence of the court is executed by a firing squad.