PACE rapporteur deplores further reported execution in Belarus | WPN World People News

Titus Corlatean (Romania, SOC), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, has deplored a further execution in Belarus.

According to reports, Alyaksandr Asipovich - convicted of a double murder in 2018 - was executed by firing squad on 17 December.

“This is a further sign that Belarus is not yet ready to align itself with European standards on this fundamental issue,” said Mr Corlatean. “Whilst I have great sympathy for Mr Asipovich’s victims and their families, the rest of Europe is quite clear that the death penalty is wrong in principle and inhumane in practice, and Belarus is the only European nation which still continues to apply it.”

“It has been made crystal clear that relations with the Council of Europe cannot improve until executions cease. Once again, I urge the government to declare an immediate moratorium as a first step to abolition.”

source: Council of Europe