According to the Belarusian human rights organization Viasna, the German sentenced to death had been detained in Belarus since October 2023.
20:14•Updated 20:21
A German citizen has been sentenced to death in Belarus on terrorism charges, says Belarusian human rights organization Viasna based on his anonymous sources.
The organization’s press release states that the German who received the death sentence Rico Krieger was detained in Belarus since October 2023. He was sentenced to death on June 24.
Fluent Russian according to online media Novaja Gazeta Europa Krieger was charged with firearms offences, damaging traffic or communication routes, founding or participating in the activities of extremist groups, espionage, being a mercenary and terrorism.
According to human rights activists, Krieger was eventually found guilty of an act of terrorism, in which Krieger allegedly carried out “an explosion to influence government decision-making, to intimidate the population and to undermine public order”. According to the prosecutor, Krieger would have been guilty of terrorism before. The prosecutor added that Krieger did not commit his alleged actions alone.
According to Novaja Gazeta, Krieger’s social media accounts show that he worked for the German Red Cross.
Belarus is the only country in Europe that has the death penalty enshrined in law.
The German Foreign Ministry says it is aware of the verdict
The German Foreign Ministry says that it is in close communication with the Belarusian authorities regarding Krieger’s death sentence.
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy in Minsk are providing the person with consular assistance and are working closely with the Belarusian authorities to help him, the ministry says in its statement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that it considers the death penalty a cruel and inhuman form of punishment that “Germany rejects under all circumstances.”
– We demand the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, the statement says.
Source: Reuters
The story was updated on July 19 at 8:20 p.m.: Information from the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs was added.