Belarusian senators have approved a death penalty bill for civil servants for treason – Reuters

From now on, explain the commentators, the document “On the modification of the codes of criminal responsibility” adopted by the two chambers will be transmitted to the Head of State for signature. It involves the introduction of amendments to the article of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, providing for the possibility of applying an exceptional measure of punishment in the form of the death penalty for treason against the state committed by an official occupying a public office or a person covered by military status.It also provides for the possibility of inflicting punishment in the form of a fine for committing crimes against the peace and security of mankind, public safety, traffic safety, public health and the State, as well as to increase the amount of the fine for committing these crimes to 50,000 base units.In addition, the draft law provides for the exemption from criminal liability of citizens who participated in the preparation of the crimes referred to in the articles “attack against institutions enjoying international protection” and “sabotage”, if they, in timely notifying state organs or otherwise helping to prevent such crimes.It is proposed to supplement the Belarusian legislation with an article “violation of the requirements for the protection of state secrets”, which provides for criminal liability for the deliberate illegal movement of a carrier of state secrets with secrets of Belarus or foreign states transferred to the republic outside its borders.