Belarus
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · President Alexander Lukashenko has been sharply criticized...
- News items in the archive
- 241
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Belarus is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 241 news items on Belarus, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- FEBRUARY 11, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Seven people were sentenced to death in Belarus in...
Seven people were sentenced to death in Belarus in 2001, and 11 others got life in prison, Valyantsin Sukala, chairman of the Supreme Court of Belarus, told reporters
- JANUARY 19, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer,...
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer, asked about the chances of Belarus joining the Council of Europe, expressed hopes that "a democratisation process will start" in that country
- JANUARY 19, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer,...
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer, asked about the chances of Belarus joining the Council of Europe, expressed hopes that "a democratisation process will start" in that country
- JANUARY 1, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The death sentence is applied for the following crimes:...
The death sentence is applied for the following crimes: treason; attempting to overthrough the government; terrorism; sabotage; gangsterism; actions aimed at frustrating order in prisons; premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances; a second convi
- NOVEMBER 21, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Lithuanian MP Jonas Cekuolis, head of Lithuanian delegation...
Lithuanian MP Jonas Cekuolis, head of Lithuanian delegation to the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly [PACE], said that the Vilnius forum decided to invite Belarusian delegations formed of both government and opposition representatives
- NOVEMBER 21, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The consultative council of [Belarusian] opposition...
The consultative council of [Belarusian] opposition parties met to express concerns about the recommendations issued by the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) to the Belarusian authorities
- OCTOBER 12, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Belarusian Foreign Minister Mikhail Khvastow, questioned...
Belarusian Foreign Minister Mikhail Khvastow, questioned by the Belarusian newspaper Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta said "the moratorium on the death penalty is a standard of the European community and we will consider it
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Regular invitations of a Belarussian National Assembly...
Regular invitations of a Belarussian National Assembly delegation to sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) show that the Belarussian parliament's status in this organization could be restored, the head of the Belarussian F
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
European parliamentarians asked Belarus to expand the...
European parliamentarians asked Belarus to expand the powers of the Belarusian parliament and to abolish the death penalty as constructive steps towards rejoining Europe
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
A Belarussian delegation has been invited to take part...
A Belarussian delegation has been invited to take part in the plenary session of the Council of Europe that is scheduled to take place in Strasbourg in December, Stef Goris, the head of the PACE delegation, told a press conference in Minsk
- SEPTEMBER 6, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The former head of the Minsk detention centre, Aleh...
The former head of the Minsk detention centre, Aleh Alkayew, revealed the circumstances behind the reports linking high-ranking officials to the disappearance of prominent opposition figures
- JULY 18, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The administration of the Northern Cemetery outside...
The administration of the Northern Cemetery outside Minsk denied reports that the cemetery has a special area where the bodies of executed people are buried
- JULY 10, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview...
President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with Interfax that Belarus had taken some steps towards limiting the death penalty
- JULY 10, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
In 1998, 47 death sentences were passed by Belarusian...
In 1998, 47 death sentences were passed by Belarusian courts, and 40 people were executed
- APRIL 25, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Belarus was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death...
Belarus was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 25, 2001
- JANUARY 1, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Information about the death penalty is classed as a...
Information about the death penalty is classed as a state secret: convict's relatives are not informed of the date or place of execution even after the event
- JANUARY 1, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The death sentence is applied for the following crimes:...
The death sentence is applied for the following crimes: treason; attempting to overthrough the government; terrorism; sabotage; gangsterism; actions aimed at frustrating order in prisons; premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances; a second convi
- JANUARY 1, 2001BelarusDEATH PENALTY
President Alexander Lukashenko has been sharply criticized...
President Alexander Lukashenko has been sharply criticized in the West for his authoritarian rule and in January 1997 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe suspended Belarus' special guest status, also due to the countries stance on the deat
- NOVEMBER 22, 2000BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The UN Committee Against Torture considered Belarus'...
The UN Committee Against Torture considered Belarus' third periodic report on the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment at its meetings in November 2000
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2000BelarusDEATH PENALTY
A German citizen, Christoph Lez, was arrested on espionage...
A German citizen, Christoph Lez, was arrested on espionage charges
- APRIL 26, 2000BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Belarus cosponsored the resolution on the death penalty...
Belarus cosponsored the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 26 (no
- JANUARY 26, 2000BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The Council of Europe (CE) Parliamentary Assembly "expressed...
The Council of Europe (CE) Parliamentary Assembly "expressed its profound concern that Belarus continued to fall seriously short of Council of Europe standards as regards pluralist democracy, the rule of law and human rights"
- JANUARY 1, 2000BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: state treason; conspiracy aimed...
Capital crimes are: state treason; conspiracy aimed at seizure of state power; terrorism, terrorist act against a foreigner; sabotage; gangsterism; actions aimed at frustrating order in prisons; premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances; rape by
- JUNE 24, 1999BelarusDEATH PENALTY
On June 24, Anton Borissovitch Bondarenko was executed
On June 24, Anton Borissovitch Bondarenko was executed
- JUNE 23, 1999BelarusDEATH PENALTY
On June 23, two men were executed, after being convicted...
On June 23, two men were executed, after being convicted of murder
- APRIL 28, 1999BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Belarus was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death...
Belarus was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 28 (1999/61)
- JANUARY 1, 1999BelarusDEATH PENALTY
President Alexander Lukashenko has been sharply criticized...
President Alexander Lukashenko has been sharply criticized in the West for his authoritarian rule and in January 1997 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe suspended Belarus' special guest status, also because of its position on the death pe
- JANUARY 1, 1999BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Reports claim that at least 13 people were sentenced...
Reports claim that at least 13 people were sentenced to death in 1998 after all were convicted of premeditated murder
- JANUARY 1, 1999BelarusDEATH PENALTY
In April 1993, the Parliament passed (in first reading)...
In April 1993, the Parliament passed (in first reading) a draft Penal Code of the Republic which provides for capital punishment only in cases of premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances
- JANUARY 1, 1999BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The main reasons for the retention of the death penalty...
The main reasons for the retention of the death penalty are the serious crime rise in the Republic, and the fact that the idea of abolition has no public support