18 May 2022 09:42

Lukashenko signs amendments penalizing terrorism with death

MINSK. May 18 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed amendments to the Belarusian Criminal Code that penalize attempts at perpetrating a terror attack with death - the respective law was published on the national web portal of legal information on Wednesday.

"As an exceptional measure of punishment, the penalty of death by a firing squad is allowed (until the abolition of death penalty) for crimes defined by Part 2 Article 124, Part 3 Article 126, Part 3 Article 289 and Part 2 Article 359 of the Code, as well as for crimes intentionally taking the life of a person under aggravating circumstances or some other grave felonies," the document said.

These include international acts of terrorism, such as terrorism against a representative of a foreign nation or an international organization, terror attacks perpetrated by an organized group or at atomic energy sites or by means of radioactive, strong, toxic chemical or biological materials, or related to the murder of a person, as well as assassinations of statesmen or public figures due to their state or public activities.

Previously, the death penalty did not apply to preparations for crimes, but now such articles are made an exception. The law amends Article 67 of the Belarusian Criminal Code (penalty for an unfinished crime).

"Part 2 Article 67 shall be amended as follows: the death penalty for preparation for a crime and attempted crime shall not be imposed, with the exception of attempted crimes defined by Part 2 Article 124, Part 3 Article 126, Part 3 Article 289 and Part 2 Article 359 of this Code," the document said.

The amendments to the Criminal Code will take effect ten days after their official publishing.