EU Local Statement on the decision of the Belarus Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence against Aliaksei Mikhalenia, delivered in the 1291st Meeting of the Committee of Ministers (5 July 2017)

Delivered by the Permanent Representation of Portugal to the Council of Europe on behalf of the European Union and its Member states:

The Belarusian Supreme Court has upheld yet another death sentence, this time against Aliaksei Mikhalenia. We deplore this development.

The continued application of the death penalty runs counter to Belarus' stated willingness to engage with the international community, including the Council of Europe and the European Union, on the matter.

We reaffirm our strong opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances and we reaffirm our commitment to continue the efforts in favour of an European continent free from this inhuman and irreversible punishment, as well as for the universal abolition of the death penalty

We therefore strongly urge Belarus, the only country in Europe still applying capital punishment, to commute the remaining death sentences and to introduce without delay a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards its abolition.