Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed into law a legislation that imposes capital punishment for preparations to commit terrorism and attempted terrorist acts, the Belarusian national legal registry published the text of the law on Wednesday
MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2022) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed into law a legislation that imposes capital punishment for preparations to commit terrorism and attempted terrorist acts, the Belarusian national legal registry published the text of the law on Wednesday.
The law stipulates that execution by firing squad is "an exceptional punishment" allowed for crimes under four articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus: "act of terrorism against a representative of a foreign state or an international organization," "act of international terrorism," "act of terrorism" and "act of terrorism against a state or public figure", or other crimes involving the intentional deprivation of life under aggravating circumstances. Preparation for the offenses under these four articles and attempts to commit these crimes are also punishable by death penalty.
The bill specifies that death penalty is imposed if an individual "prepares or attempts to commit a terrorist act involving loss of life." This includes attempted murder of a representative of a foreign state or international organization to cause international complications or war; an attempted international terrorist act; an attempted act of terrorism involving nuclear energy facilities, using radioactive substances or nuclear materials, chemical or biological substances; attempted murder of a government or a public figure in connection with their activities in order to influence the decision-making process, intimidate the population, and disrupt public order.
The bill has already sailed through both chambers of the national parliament. It will go into effect ten days after its official publication.
The press service of the Belarusian lower house has earlier described the bill's purpose as "a deterrent to 'destructive elements'" and a demonstration of the country's determination to fight terrorism.
Belarus is the only country in Europe that still practices execution, one of the main reasons why it is barred from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. At a referendum in 1996, Belarusians voted by 80.5 percent to keep the death penalty.
