Belarus: The new death penalty law is the ultimate human rights violation

WhatsAppWhatsAppFacebookFacebookTwitterTwitterPinterestPinterestRedditRedditGmailGmailShareShare

EuropeEurope Europe – Belarusian authorities have passed a new law that makes “attempts to carry out acts of terrorism” punishable by death. Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Marie Struthers, said:

Belarus is the only country in Europe and Central Asia that still uses the death sentence, the cruelest, most inhumane, and demeaning punishment in the world.

This law, which violates Belarus’ international obligations, is the latest example of Belarusian authorities’ flagrant disregard for human rights.

It’s especially concerning because the Belarusian authorities have a dangerously ambiguous definition of terrorism, and terrorism-related accusations have been used to persecute political protest. Authorities have long associated peaceful protest and free expression with violent crimes, and this law is a disturbing indication that they are intensifying their repression and raising the stakes to dangerous new heights.

In Belarus, opponents of the regime now face the risk of being shot if they dare to speak out, amid a suffocating restrictive political climate. We demand that Belarus end its brutal, inhumane, and degrading treatment of political opponents and human rights campaigners once and for all.

Related Posts

Background

On May 18, President Alyaksandr Lukashenka signed new law introducing the death sentence for “attempts to carry out acts of terrorism.” The law will take effect 10 days after it is published.

The Belarusian parliament enacted a measure in April broadening the applicability of the death penalty, which is said to be in response to recent sabotage attacks on the country’s railway network.

Opponents of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are said to have exploited such occurrences as a covert tactic to prevent Russian military stationed in Belarus from crossing the border.

Hundreds of political activists have already been charged with “attempted terrorism,” according to the Viasna Human Rights Center. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, an exiled Belarusian opposition leader and Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s major rival in the hotly contested 2020 presidential elections, is one of them.

The death penalty is now used in Belarus to punish serious murder, but it is also a legal punishment for acts of terrorism that result in death.

About G.Morrison

Discover the world of workers' rights through the lens of G. Morrison. With a commitment to unbiased reporting, G. Morrison crafts narratives that unveil the human stories behind labor struggles, advocating for a fair and just global workplace.

G.Morrison

Discover the world of workers' rights through the lens of G. Morrison. With a commitment to unbiased reporting, G. Morrison crafts narratives that unveil the human stories behind labor struggles, advocating for a fair and just global workplace.

Recent Posts

What Does TCS’s 35-Day Bench Limit and End of Remote Work Mean for IT Employees?

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced a new policy for its employees; a new regulation capped the bench period at 35…

June 17, 2025

Can AI Replace Employees? mysite.ai Raises EUR 2.1M to Bring AI Workers to Small Businesses

The Polish startup mysite.ai, formerly Codejet, has raised a EUR 2.1 million pre-seed round to construct a fully autonomous AI…

June 17, 2025

Who Are the 4,000 Iloilo City Workers Now Covered by PhilHealth, and What Benefits Will They Get?

Approximately 4,000 non-plantilla employees in Iloilo City are covered under the health scheme. This covers project-based, job order and contract…

June 17, 2025

Greece’s Free 1-Year Global Nomad Pass Launches June 17 for Remote Workers

What is the Global Nomad Pass programme? On June 17, 2025, Greece launched a new countrywide remote work programme with…

June 17, 2025

2025 International Labour Conference: What Changed for Workers? Details Inside

The 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) was a breakthrough moment for the global workers’ rights agenda, resulting in historic advancements…

June 16, 2025

UK Tightens Immigration: 8 New Rules Every Immigrant Must Know

Several significant changes to the immigration system are now underway in the UK government after the release of a new…

June 16, 2025