Belarus remains the only European nation still practicing capital punishment
In short: While most of Europe has abolished the death penalty, Belarus maintains it as a legal reality. Despite international condemnation and exclusion from the Council of Europe, the state continues to carry out executions, often in secret, for crimes ranging from murder to high treason.
Capital punishment has been a fixture of Belarusian law since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. While the state has attempted to frame the practice as a temporary measure—notably through a 2005 parliamentary amendment—the reality is a persistent and expanding legal framework. Under the constitution, capital punishment is allowed for 'especially grave crimes'; this category of offences was broadened in 2023 to encompass high treason for officials and military members.
The execution process is shrouded in secrecy. Condemned individuals are typically transported to a secret location, blindfolded, and shot in the back of the head with a suppressed PB-9 pistol. This process is remarkably swift; according to Oleg Alkayev's 'The Death Squad,' the entire procedure from the final appeal rejection to the gunshot can last less than two minutes. Following the execution, the state does not release the body for burial, a practice the United Nations and the OSCE argue violates international human rights standards.
Public sentiment in Belarus has fluctuated significantly. In a 1996 referendum, 80.44% of citizens voted to retain the punishment. While support has shifted—with polls in 2013 showing a near-even split between retention and abolition—more recent state-aligned data suggests a vast majority remains in favor. This domestic landscape, combined with the state's refusal to implement a moratorium, remains the primary reason Belarus is excluded from the Council of Europe.
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