The cases of Andrei Zhuk and Vasily Yuzepchuk were pending at the Human Rights Committee, which had requested interim measures of protection. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee call upon Belarus to consider the rule of law as the principle under which penal justice is executed, and to therefore fully implement the recommendations of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The Government of Belarus should also establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, in line with the United Nations General Assembly resolution 63/168 adopted on 18 December 2008. Finally, the more than 50 organisations signing the letter, urge the Belarusian authorities to put an end to the harassment against all human rights defenders.
NHC condemns the execution of Andrei Zhuk and Vasily Yuzepchuk
In a letter sent to the President of the Republic of Belarus, Mr Alexander Lukashenko, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, together with 50 other organisations, condemns the execution of Mr. Andrei Zhuk and Mr. Vasily Yuzepchuk.