Statement by the Spokesperson on the executions in Belarus of Ivan Kulesh and Sergei Khmelevsky

The European Union condemned two executions, of Ivan Kulesh and Sergei Khmelevsky, that took place in Belarus in November. The executions follow that of Syarhey Iwanov in April.

The continued application of the death penalty went counter to Belarus' stated willingness to engage with the international community, including the EU, on the matter and to consider the introduction of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

The European Union opposed capital punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent to crime and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. It called Belarus to to commute the remaining death sentences and to establish without delay a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition of the death penalty.