Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ratified a law that will introduce the death penalty for civil servants and military personnel convicted of high treason, Belarus’ Belta news agency reported on Friday.
Belarus, often dubbed Europe’s last dictatorship, is also the last country in the continent where the death penalty is still enforced. Those sentenced to death are shot in the back of the head.
So far, the death penalty has only been applied to those accused of “terrorism”, “attempted terrorism”, or assassinations. The law can also be used to target those committing sabotage and other partisan acts. The death penalty in Belarus is used as a threat against opposing the autocratic rule of Lukashenko.
Numerous pro-democracy and anti-war groups are active in Belarus, sabotaging railway infrastructure which contributes to Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as hitting other military targets associated with the regime. If caught, partisans risk execution.
The Belarusian regime has a loose interpretation when it comes to charges of terrorism against the democratic opposition. In March 2022, exiled internationally-recognised de-jure leader of Belarus and opposition figure, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for “preparing acts of terrorism as part of an organised group.”
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The new law also provides stiffer penalties for citizens found guilty of “terrorist propaganda” or “defamation of the armed forces.” Similar provisions for these ‘crimes’ have also been adopted by Russia since the start of its invasion of Ukraine.
