Titus Corlăţean (Romania, SOC), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, has condemned the handing down in Belarus of a death sentence on Viktar Skrundzik for the murder of two elderly people in January 2019. This is believed to be the third death sentence to be pronounced in the country since the beginning of the year.
“Whilst I have every sympathy for the victims and their families in this case, the Assembly and the Council of Europe continue to be resolutely opposed to the death penalty, which runs counter to our most fundamental values,” said Mr Corlăţean. “Relations with Belarus cannot improve until this serious issue is resolved. Once again, I urge the authorities to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty, as a first step towards its full abolition.”
PACE
