Yesterday’s decision of the Supreme Court of Belarus to uphold the death verdict for Siarhei Vostrykau is deeply disappointing. We recall the Declaration from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on 25 May deploring the death sentence in this case shortly after it was handed down. Death is no justice. Introducing a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards its abolition would signal a genuine commitment to European values.

This afternoon the Committee of Ministers issued a second declaration on the same issue, deploring the confirmation of the death sentence originally passed in May 2016.

See also:
Belarus and the Council of Europe