A German Citizen Sentenced to Death in Belarus

A German citizen, Rico Krieger, has been sentenced to death in Belarus. This information was confirmed by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 19, as reported by Meduza.

The sentence was issued by the Minsk Regional Court; according to the Belarusian publication Zerkalo, the ruling took place on June 21. The publication notes that there have been no official comments regarding the case, and it remains unclear what charges Krieger faces. It is also unknown whether the sentence has been appealed or has entered into legal force.

According to the telegram channel 'МотолькоПомоги,' Krieger is an employee of the German 'Red Cross' and has been accused of, among other things, participating in an extremist organization, engaging in profit-oriented activities, conducting secret operations, and terrorism.

The human rights organization 'Весна' stated that the case is “related to” the Kastus Kalinouski Battalion, a Belarusian volunteer unit fighting alongside Ukraine against Russia.

Belarus is the only country in Europe where the death penalty is still in use. Over the past decade, the country has carried out between one and four executions annually. The Mirror describes the execution of a foreign citizen as a 'rare occurrence.'