Supreme Court cancels death sentence in Homel
The Supreme Court rules to spare the life of Andrei Hrunou, sentenced to death by a regional court for the brutal homicide of a university student.
Human rights defender from "Vyasna" Andrei Paluda who watched the consideration of the appeal in the court room says there was more chance for success in this case. The appeal was considered not in one day, as usual, but for several days. Still, this is a sensation.
"Yes, this is a sensation. Nothing like this has ever happened in the contemporary history of Belarus. The situation is as follows: the sentence made by the first instance court has been abolished. Now, the case will be sent back to that court for reconsideration by another squad," the human rights defender says.
According to Paluda, the lawyer's position who turned attention to a number of violation during the process of the investigation played the key part.
Andrei Paluda: "Let us say, additions to the appeal and the appeal itself played a significant part. The court considered all the moments that the lawyers turned attention to, and decided to satisfy the appeal. Naturally, if the appeal had not been filed, the sentence would have been executed."
Now human rights defenders are waiting for reconsideration of the case and hope that the court will choose another form of punishment for Hrunou.
Euroradio's information:
Alyaksandr Hrunou was sentenced to death under Claim 6 Part 2 Article 139 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. The 25-year-old youngster killed a student Natallia Yemelyanchykava. He explained at the trial that she humiliated him in the company of the people they both knew and did not apologize. This caused aggression. In the end, he cut the victim with a knife 102 times.
Natallia Yemelyanchykava
Photo: gp.by.
