Only the president has the authority to pardon individuals sentenced to death in Belarus — this is the sole mechanism that can halt the execution of a sentence.
In March 2010, a protest against the use of the death penalty took place near the Presidential Administration building. The picket was organized by Belarusian human rights activists who have long called for a moratorium. Participants included well-known human rights defenders — Ales Bialiatski, Iryna Tovstik and Valiantsin Stefanovich. During the peaceful action they were all detained by police officers and taken to the Akrestsina detention center, where they awaited trial on charges brought against them for participating in an unauthorized picket.
