Mogilev Regional Court has confirmed that another death-row prisoner has been executed in Belarus. At least 2 men remain on death row at imminent risk of execution.
The
execution of Rygor Yuzepchuk only became public knowledge on 8 May, but may have actually occurred in April. The date of his execution and the location of his grave have not been disclosed, in keeping with Belarusian law and practice.
Rygor Yuzepchuk was sentenced to death on 25 April 2013 for the murder of his cell mate in a prison in Mogilev, western Belarus, in June 2012. The sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2013. Rygor Yuzepchuk was already serving a 25-year sentence for a double murder.
At least 2 other men remain on death row in Belarus and there are concerns that both are at imminent risk of execution. Eduard Lykau was sentenced to death on 26 November 2013 for 5 murders committed in 2002, 2004 and 2011. His appeal was turned down by the Supreme Court on 15 April 2014. Alyaksandr Haryunou was sentenced to death by the Homel Regional Court on 14 June 2013 for the murder of a student in 2012. On 22 October 2013 the Supreme Court overturned Alyaksandr Haryunou's death sentence and returned the case for re-trial, but on 24 December 2013 the Homel Regional court again sentenced him to death. During the appeal, his lawyer had argued there had been a number of fair trial violations and that there was contradictory information about his mental health.
Alyaksandr Harynou has appealed to President Lukashenka for clemency and his case is pending with the UN Human Rights Committee. It is not known if Eduard Lykau has personally appealed for clemency, but his case will automatically be considered for clemency by the relevant authority. If their appeals for clemency are rejected, they could be executed at any moment. In Belarus, prisoners are usually executed immediately after being told their appeal for clemency has been rejected. Neither their families or legal representatives are informed of the date of execution beforehand, nor are they granted a final meeting with the prisoner.
Please write immediately in Belarusian, Russian or your own language, calling on the authorities to:
* Immediately commute the death sentences of Alyaksandr Harynou and Eduard Lykau to terms of imprisonment;
* Immediately establish an official moratorium on all death sentences and executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty in Belarus;
* End the secrecy on the use of the death penalty in Belarus, and return the body of an executed person to the family for burial or inform them where the body is buried and allow them access to that location.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
News of the execution of Rygor Yuzepchuk follows that of Pavel Selyun on 17 April 2014. He was executed in secret and with total disregard for the rights of his family. Pavel Selyun had appealed to President Lukashenka for clemency. His mother had also appealed to President Lukashenka, as well as to the Head of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, in an attempt to save his life, requesting that his death sentence be changed to life imprisonment.
URGENT APPEAL
Name: Alyaksandr Harynou (m) and Eduard Lykau (m)
Issues: Death penalty, Imminent execution
UA: 125/14
Issue Date: 14 May 2014
Country: Belarus
HOW YOU CAN HELP
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 25 JUNE 2014 TO:
President
Alyaksandr Lukashenka
Ul. Karla Marxa 38
220016 Minsk
BELARUS
Fax: 011 375 17 226 06 10 -OR- 011 375 17 222 38 72
Salutation: Dear President
Also send copies to:
Ambassador Oleg Kravchenko
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus
1619 New Hampshire Ave NW,
Washington DC 20009
USA
Fax: 1 202 986 1805
Phone: 1 202 986 1606
Please check with the AIUSA Urgent Action Office if sending appeals after the above date.
Please share this urgent action with your networks using this link:
UA Network Office AIUSA 600 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC 20003
T. 202.509.8193 -- F. 202.509.8193 --E.
uan@aiusa.org -- amnestyusa.org/urgent
Source: Amnesty International USA, May 2014
