A seminar entitled “Abolition of the death penalty in Belarus – Next steps” took place in Warsaw on Wednesday 5 March 2025.
Organised by the Council of Europe as part of the activities under the Council of Europe’s Contact group for Belarus, this seminar gathered representatives from the various political fractions of the Belarusian democratic forces and members of relevant belarusian civil society organisations, such as “Viasna” Human Rights Centre, Belarusian Helsinki Committee, and Belarusian National Youth Council RADA.
The aim of this seminar was to examine political, social and legal challenges linked to the abolition of the death penalty, and to discuss potential next steps to prepare the ground for the abolition of the death penalty in Belarus, which is the only country in Europe still applying this inhuman and degrading treatment.
The event was opened by Miroslav Papa, Director of Political Affairs and External Relations of the Council of Europe and co-chair of the Contact Group for Belarus, and by Alexander Shlyk, adviser to the leader of Belarusian democratic forces, Sviatlana Tskihanouskaïa, and co-chair of the Contact Group for Belarus.
After presentations by Sebastien Potaufeu, Council of Europe Coordinator for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, and by Andrei Paluda, Coordinator of the camapaign “Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty” from Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’, the participants engaged in discussions inter alia on the current situation regarding the death penalty in Belarus, on legal challenges of the abolition of the death penalty, and on public ownership of the abolition.
To know more about the Council of Europe Contact Group on co-operation with Representatives of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society, and its activities : Contact Group on Belarus
