Belarus: rapporteurs condemn execution of Siarhei Vostrykau in Belarus

‘I deplore the recent execution of Siarhei Vostrykau and send my condolences to his family,’ said Andrea Rigoni (Italy, ALDE), PACE rapporteur on the situation in Belarus. ‘This happens at a very delicate time. The Belarusian regime is trying to build good relations with our Assembly, the Council of Europe and the EU, and contradictory messages only harm these relations. The right to life must be protected at all costs, and the President or the Parliament can at any time declare a moratorium. Europe is still waiting,’ he concluded.

‘I strongly condemn this execution, which sends yet another negative signal to the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly, for whom strong opposition to the death penalty is a matter of principle’, added Yves Cruchten (Luxembourg, SOC), General Rapporteur on the abolition of the death penalty. ‘We urge the Belarusian authorities to join the European family of abolitionists by introducing, as a matter of urgency, a moratorium on executions.’

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