Belarus
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- nominally a republic, in fact a dictatorship
- CONSTITUTION
- March 15, 1994; amended 1996, 2004
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on civil law; not subject to the jurisdiction of the ICJ
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie) composed of the Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki) and the House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court (composed of the president and vice president and organized into various specialized chambers, including economic and military; number of judges determined by the president of the republic and the president of the court); Constitutional Court (composed of 12 judges, including a president and a vice president); oblast courts; City Court of Minsk; city courts; Economic Courts of the city and oblast of Minsk
RELIGIONS
Orthodox 48.3%, Catholics 7.1%, others 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (estimate 2011)
From the country
DECEMBER 9, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: APPEAL FOR CLEMENCY
Vladislav Kovalyov, one of the two men sentenced to death in Belarus for bombing a metro
DECEMBER 6, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTER TERZI ASKS FOR SUSPENSION OF EXECUTIONS
Italy's Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi asked Belarus to suspend the death sentences of the two
- DECEMBER 1, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTY
ASHTON CONDEMNS DEATH SENTENCES IN BELARUS
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton strongly condemned two new death sentences in Belarus.
- NOVEMBER 30, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTY
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: BELARUS URGED TO INTRODUCE A MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
The Council of Europe urged Belarus not to execute two men found guilty of carrying out
NOVEMBER 30, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR METRO BOMBING
A court in Belarus sentenced two men to death for carrying out a bomb attack at a metro station in central Minsk which killed 15 people and wounded scores of others.
- JULY 27, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTY
UN COMMITTEE SAYS EXECUTIONS IN BELARUS VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS
the United Nations Human Rights Committee accused Belarus of violating
- JULY 22, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Catherine Ashton, the European Union's high representative
Catherine Ashton, the European Union's high representative
JULY 21, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: TWO MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH LAST YEAR REPORTED EXECUTED
Aleh Hryshkawtsow, 30, and Andrey Burdyka, 29, were executed by shooting in Belarus, reported the Hrodna newspaper Vecherny Grodno.
APRIL 14, 2011JapanDEATH PENALTYPACE URGES BELARUS TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) called on
MARCH 1, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: MAN GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE
the High Court of Belarus confirmed the death sentence against Igor Myalik, 39, for
FEBRUARY 25, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: PRESIDENT LUKASHENKO DENIES CLEMENCY TO TWO DEATH ROW INMATES
Belarusian president Alyaksandr Lukashenko rejected clemency requests from death
- FEBRUARY 15, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS: SUPREME COURT CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE
“I am deeply disappointed and concerned by the decision taken on Friday (February