A German national, identified as Rico Krieger, has been sentenced to death in Belarus, according to the German foreign ministry and a Belarusian human rights group. Krieger, a combat medic, was convicted under six articles of Belarus’s criminal code in a trial held in June. The exact allegations against him are unclear, but he has been in custody since November.
The German ministry stated that they are providing consular support to Krieger and working with Belarusian authorities on his behalf. The Belarusian justice ministry has not commented on the case, and the official news agency has not reported on it. The case may be linked to the KastuĊ KalinoĊski Regiment, a group of Belarusian volunteer fighters involved in the war in Ukraine.
Belarus is the only European country that actively uses capital punishment, with death sentences reserved for serious crimes such as murder, terrorism, and treason. It is unclear whether Krieger has appealed the sentence. Belarus has reportedly executed up to 400 people since gaining independence from the Soviet Union, with executions of foreign citizens being rare.
The authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko has faced international criticism for detaining dissidents and activists who oppose him. In a surprising move, Belarus recently announced it would open its borders visa-free to nationals of 35 European countries for 90-day trips to improve relations with the west. The case of Rico Krieger highlights ongoing human rights concerns in Belarus and the use of the death penalty in the country.
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