Dapkiunas: The death penalty issue must be resolved taking into account the opinion of the people

Belarus remains open to dialogue with our international partners regarding the highly sensitive issue of the death penalty. This was affirmed by Permanent Representative Andrei Dapkiunas during a session of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on October 16, as reported by BELTA.

“The Belarusian delegation acknowledged the statements made by representatives of the European Union and other delegations on the anniversaries of the European and World Days Against the Death Penalty. Belarus’s stance on this matter has been articulated repeatedly in this forum. We would like to reiterate that Belarusian criminal law prescribes the death penalty for fourteen crimes, including acts of terrorism, aggravated premeditated murder, crimes against peace, crimes against human security, and war crimes,” Dapkiunas emphasized.

He further clarified, “In practice, the application of the death penalty occurs very rarely.”

He underlined that within Belarusian law, it is regarded as an “exceptional punishment,” reserved solely for extraordinary circumstances. The death penalty cannot be imposed on women or men who committed crimes under the age of 18 or who are over 65 at the time of sentencing.

Dapkiunas also pointed out that no international human rights instrument to which Belarus is a party, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, explicitly forbids the use of capital punishment.

“In 1996, a national referendum was held on the advisability of retaining the death penalty. Over 80% of voters chose to uphold it. Since then, public opinion has remained largely unchanged. Those sentenced to death have the right to petition the President of Belarus for clemency,” he noted.

“In our law enforcement practice, there have been instances where such petitions were favorably considered, leading to commutations of sentences to lengthy imprisonment. However, such cases are rare, as courts tend to impose the death penalty in cases where the acts committed pose an extremely high level of danger, and the cruelty inflicted on victims leaves no room for mercy,” Dapkiunas added.

In recent years—2020-2021, 2023-2024—no executions have been carried out in Belarus. The only exception was in 2022, when one execution was executed against an offender who intentionally murdered two elderly persons.

In 2024, President Aleksandr Lukashenko pardoned German citizen Rico Krieger, who was caught in the act of carrying out a terrorist attack on a Belarusian railway facility while on assignment from Ukrainian special services. “The decision to grant clemency was motivated by the fact that Mr. Krieger fully admitted his guilt, expressed remorse, and requested pardon,” the diplomat explained.

“Belarus remains open to dialogue,” Dapkiunas affirmed. “We are engaging with international partners on this delicate issue. We continue to carefully study the experiences of other nations that have abolished the death penalty and are prepared to participate in respectful and professional discussions. However, we do not intend to blindly imitate other countries’ approaches nor regard the European model as the sole example of ‘civilization.’ Experience has shown that the very concept of humanity is interpreted differently in our countries.”

He addressed the audience directly: “For our Western colleagues, humanity often equates to preserving the lives of those who have committed heinous crimes. In your countries, a terrorist responsible for killing 77 innocent people resides comfortably in a three-room cell equipped with a gym, a bedroom, and an office. To us, this is an insult to the victims’ families and a stark absurdity. You perceive humanity as protecting the lives of terrorists, serial killers, and maniacs. For us, justice means that society and the families of victims receive the retribution they deserve—punishment proportionate to the gravity of the crime.”

Belarusian Statement to the IAEA:

The Belarusian mission states: “We are convinced that the issue of the death penalty must be resolved with due regard to the will of the people, who have expressed their position through a referendum. Ignoring public opinion in favor of external pressures cannot be considered an act of democracy.”

“Belarus does not require ‘lessons in civility.’ We are forging our own path—guided by our national experience, traditions, public demand, and principles of justice. Perhaps this approach warrants the attention of those accustomed to lecturing others. We reaffirm it once more.”