EU urges Belarus to introduce moratorium on death penalty
The European Union has once again called on Belarus to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty. The statement by the Press Secretary of the European External Action Service was posted on the official website of the service several days after the Supreme Court of Belarus upheld the sentence of the 48-year-old Henadz Yakavitski. Minsk regional court found him guilty of brutally murdering his roommate and sentenced him to death by shooting.
The EU condemns the use of the death penalty in any situation. The statement says that "it does not act as a deterrent and is a cruel punishment and unacceptable denial of human dignity." Brussels urges the authorities of our country "to respect the right to life of every citizen and to introduce a moratorium on executions as a first step towards its complete abolition".
As we know, Belarus is the only country in Europe where the death penalty is applied. Over the past 25 years, more than 400 people were shot. During his presidency, Aliaksandr Lukashenka pardoned only one person.
