The use of the death penalty is expanding in Belarus. In the future, this could already be imposed for attempted terrorism. This is reported by Interfax and RIA Novosti on Wednesday, citing a document on the Belarusian judicial website. This shows that President Alexander Lukashenko signed the amendment to the law. In any case, Reuters could not open the online page today, Wednesday. So far, the death penalty could be imposed in the former Soviet Republic of Belarus for terrorist attacks resulting in death, brutal murder and multiple murders.
Criticism came from Antony Blinken. The US Secretary of State criticized that the change in law would also “face the death penalty to pro-democracy activists and those who oppose Russia’s war in Ukraine”. “The Lukashenko regime continues to suppress the pro-democracy and anti-war movements in Belarus, including through violence and these recent penal code changes.”
Blinken’s statement said the Lukashenko regime had filed politically motivated charges of “extremism” and “terrorism” against many of the more than 1,100 political prisoners. Tens of thousands of other people were also arrested under such allegations. These are citizens who want to exercise their basic freedoms – “peaceful protesters, members of civil society, journalists, political opponents and those arrested for speaking out against Russia’s unjust war against Ukraine and Belarus’ supporting role in it have spoken”.
