Lukashenko commutes death sentence for German convicted of terrorism

(Patria) - Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko has commuted the death sentence of a German national, his office announced in Minsk.

The German had previously requested a pardon from the president. According to Minsk authorities, the 29-year-old was convicted of terrorism on behalf of the Ukrainian secret service.

He was sentenced to death in June, but the verdict was only announced to the public a month later by human rights organizations.

The Belarusian human rights group Viasna identified him as Ric Krieger and stated that he was accused of terrorism and mercenary activities.

TASS reported that Krieger said the Ukrainian security service SBU had ordered him to photograph military locations in Belarus and place a backpack on the railway tracks southeast of the capital, Minsk, which later exploded. No one was injured.

Belarus is the last country in Europe that still has the death penalty, carried out by a shot to the back of the head.

Belarusian television recently showed a video in which the German, a paramedic by profession, confessed his guilt and pleaded for mercy.