BELARUS HANDS DOWN FIRST DEATH PENALTY THIS YEAR

A Belarusian court has handed down the first death penalty this year, the Mogilyov Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.
Belarus remains the only European country that still uses the death penalty and repeatedly comes under harsh criticism from international organizations.
The two men were convicted of murdering their cellmate in prison while serving their sentences for previous crimes. One of them was cumulatively sentenced to execution for all of his crimes, and the other was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
The prosecutors described the individual sentenced to death as an "extremely negative person" and highly dangerous as well. The cellmate who he recently murdered was his fourth victim. His previous crimes also qualified as grave.
"This individual is highly dangerous even when kept in isolation," the statement said. "It is impossible to rehabilitate him through a long or even life imprisonment. In this case, the death penalty is justified."