Execute not Pardon

Being closely watched by the West, Russia has to be in conformity with those standards of civilized European community that are considered to be the only true and inviolable ones, regardless of the situation within the country. Among them is, for instance, death penalty ban. And although de jure capital punishment in Russia is not abolished, the moratorium has remained valid since 1996 which is one of requirements Russia had to meet in order to join the Council of Europe.

Being closely watched by the West, Russia has to be in conformity with those standards of civilized European community that are considered to be the only true and inviolable ones, regardless of the situation within the country. Among them is, for instance, death penalty ban. And although de jure capital punishment in Russia is not abolished, the moratorium has remained valid since 1996 which is one of requirements Russia had to meet in order to join the Council of Europe.

Having given no promises as regards this “mortal” affair and being constantly criticized by its European neighbours as it is the only country in Europe that executes death penalty, Belarus is now trying to take control of this matter on its own.

At the press conference Valentin Sukalo, the President of the Supreme Court, said that in Belarus death penalty moratorium has been practically enforced as far as the sentences are passed rather seldom.

“Psychologically, we are ready to declare death penalty moratorium if the decision is taken at the level of national legislation as well as by the President,” he explained. According to him, our courts have to pass such kind of sentence as capital punishment until it exists in the legislation.

Four death sentences were passed in Belarus in 2007. This year – only one capital sentence while three more people are sentenced to life imprisonment. “Introduction of such punishment as life imprisonment helps the work as it allows to choose even when corpus delicti is really grave,” says the President of the Supreme Court.

All in all at present 130 people are serving death sentences in Belarus .

In Belarus death penalty is sentenced for 12 crime categories during peacetime, and for 2 during wartime. It should be noted that almost all death sentences were passed for “premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances”.