A conference on the abolition of the death penalty and public opinion, organised by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus was held in Minsk today.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Yevgeny Shestakov and the UK Ambassador to Belarus Fionna Gibb spoke in the opening of this event.

On behalf of the Council of Europe, Alexandre Guessel, Director of Political Affairs, noted positive developments in Belarus – Council of Europe relations, in particular the increased co-operation and the adoption of the Action Plan for 2016-2017. He stressed that the key to the European continent becoming a death penalty free zone lies in Belarus, and reiterated the appeal of the Council of Europe to the country’s authorities to impose a moratorium on capital punishment, as the first step towards abolition of death penalty. Guessel argued that while public opinion is important, the issues related to death penalty should not be decided in a referendum.

The event brought together representatives of the Belarusian government and the National Assembly, Council of Europe Secretariat and the Parliamentary Assembly, UN and other international organisations, EU, Belarus Orthodox and Catholic Churches, international and Belarusian NGOs, media and academia.

The conference was funded by the UK Magna Carta Fund. (more...)