THE Belarus introduced the death penalty for preparing for an attack or “attempted terrorist act”, according to a decree issued today. These accusations concern a large number of opposition supporters, as well as the exiled leader of the Belarusian opposition.
“The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko “signed a law that provides for the possibility of imposing the death penalty for attempting (committing) a terrorist act,” Ria Novosti reported.
Until now, the death penalty has been provided only for persons who have committed a terrorist act.
Interfax clarifies that “no preparation or attempt” to commit a crime indicates the death penalty except for those described as “terrorist”
Since the emergence of the popular opposition movement in 2020 against the re-election of authoritarian Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, many dissidents have been arrested and charged with attempting or preparing to commit a terrorist act.
In March 2021, the prosecution had announced that the leader of the opposition Svetlana Tikhanovskayawho was deported in 2020, is also being investigated for “preparing a terrorist act in the context of an organized gang”, the Belarusian news agency Belta reported.
Belarus, a former Soviet republic and ally of Russia, is, according to the APE-MPE, the last European country still to use the death penalty. Many executions take place every year in the country by shooting.
Since the 2020 presidential election, when Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has garnered huge popular support, mobilizing large crowds to protest the rigged presidential election that secured another term in office for Lukashenko, Belarussian authorities have exile members of the opposition leadership or ordinary protesters.
Many members of the opposition movement have been sentenced to heavy prison terms, non-governmental organizations and independent media outlets have been banned and accused of extremism.
A new trial of 12 members of the opposition started today in the city of Grodno. The group’s leader, Nikolai Avtukhovich, is accused of “terrorist” activity and preparing a “terrorist act” within a gang, according to the non-governmental human rights organization Viasna, whose leader and several members are in prison.
According to the organization, the group is accused of setting fire to the car and the residence of a police officer and blowing up the car of another police officer.
Source: News Beast
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