The Committee of Ministers deeply regrets the recent execution of Mr Aleysander Grunow, a further indication that Belarus is resisting calls for the abolition of the death penalty.

The Committee of Ministers appeals to the Belarussian authorities to encourage a public debate on all issues related to this practice, including in particular the irreversibility of any miscarriage of justice and the fact that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime.

The Committee of Ministers reiterates that this inhumane practice and a violation of human dignity leads Belarus further away from the values of the Council of Europe and strongly urges its authorities to establish a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition of the death penalty.