The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has pardoned a German national who was sentenced to death earlier this year. According to the government’s press service, the decision announced on Tuesday effectively commutes the sentence to life imprisonment. The German national, Rico Krieger, had been convicted in June on charges including terrorism and mercenary activities under the Belarusian Criminal Code. The Minsk Regional Court had sentenced him to death by firing squad ( Jurist ).
Krieger, formerly employed by the Red Cross, confessed his guilt in a televised interview, where he pleaded for clemency from President Lukashenko and sought assistance from the German government. Krieger claimed that the Ukrainian Secret Service had tasked him with photographing military sites and planting a bomb on a train near Minsk. However, there is speculation that the confession was staged by Belarusian authorities. The German foreign office is reportedly cooperating with Belarusian authorities to assist Krieger ( RND ).
Human Rights Watch has previously reported that Belarusian authorities commonly produce “repent videos” from detainees, particularly in politically motivated cases. These forced confessions are part of a broader crackdown on human rights activists, journalists, and lawyers by Lukashenko’s regime. Belarus remains the only country in Europe and Central Asia to carry out capital punishment ( Human Rights Watch ).
The European Union has consistently criticized Belarus for its lack of transparency regarding death sentences and reported violations of the right to a fair trial, maintaining its opposition to the death penalty. The EU has condemned Belarus’ use of capital punishment and urged for greater adherence to human rights standards ( European External Action Service ).