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OSCE ODIHR urges Belarus to put executions on hold

Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Michael Georg Link voiced his concern over reports on a recent execution in Belarus

WARSAW, May 8. /TASS/. Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE ODIHR) Michael Georg Link has again urged Belarus to set an immediate moratorium on executions as a first step towards complete termination of the death penalty in the country, the OSCE ODIHR posted a corresponding statement on its website on Monday.

Link voiced his concern over reports on a recent execution in Belarus.

"The use of the death penalty is completely out of place in a region where most countries recognize the inherently cruel, inhuman and degrading nature of a punishment that fails to act as a deterrent and makes any miscarriage of justice irreversible," Link said.

"Once again, I urge the Belarusian authorities to consider abolishing the death penalty in all circumstances, as all but one other of the OSCE participating States have done, and to introduce an immediate moratorium as a first step towards abolition," he added.

Link’s statement comes after news of a possible execution of a Sergei Vostryakov, who was found guilty of rape and murder. Two more inmates sentenced to capital punishment are reported to be expecting their executions.

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