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Belarus cannot abolish capital punishment — president

In Belarus capital punishment can be imposed for terrorism, treason, war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity and homicide

People outside the prison walls in Minsk, Belarus EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

People outside the prison walls in Minsk, Belarus

© EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

MINSK, February 3. /TASS/. Capital punishment cannot be abolished in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Europe’s only retentionist country, said on Friday.

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"I have no right to abolish capital punishment as we held a referendum," Lukashenko told reporters, referring to the referendum held in 1996 when over 80% of Belarusian voted against abolishing the death penalty.

"If people vote against death penalty, I will sign the moratorium," the president said, accusing Europe of double standards.

"Let’s begin with America, make them abolish capital punishment," he said.

Under the Criminal Code of Belarus, capital punishment can be imposed for terrorism, treason, war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, homicide, etc.

According to Amnesty International, at least three people were executed in Belarus in 2016.

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