Statement by the Spokesperson on reports of another execution in Belarus

20.12.2019
Brussels

According to the reports of Belarusian human rights defenders, Aliaksandr Asipovich has been executed on 17 December 2019.

The death penalty violates the inalienable right to life enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Capital punishment also fails to act as a deterrent to crime.

The European Union takes every opportunity to recall to the Belarusian authorities its strong opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances, most recently at the EU-Belarus Coordination Group. Belarus is the only country in Europe still applying capital punishment. This year, 3 death sentences have been delivered and 3 executions have been carried out in Belarus.

A moratorium on executions in Belarus would be a positive first step towards the abolition of the death penalty in the country. By doing so, Belarus would join the growing number of countries to have eradicated the death penalty either in their legislation or in practice. As a result, over the last 10 years, no executions have taken place in 160 countries worldwide.

 

Peter Stano
Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
+32 (0)460 75 45 53