The head of the Belarusian Orthodox Church replied it to Tamara Selyun whose son was sentenced to death earlier.
The BOC is against the death penalty in Belarus, Metrropolitan Filaret stressed.
The human rights website Viasna quotes Metropolitan’s letter: "The Belarusian Orthodox Church is trying to prevent the execution of death sentences in our country which corresponds to the points stated in the Basic Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church. Christian education leads to a negative attitude to the death penalty. Its cancellation would give more opportunities to pastors helping those who made mistakes and would allow such people to repent."
Metropolitan Filaret’s letter has been sent to the pardon commission in the President’s Administration. It has been attached to Pavel Selyun’s case papers and will be taken into account during his clemency hearing.
Hrodna province Court returned Pavel Selyun guilty of four crimes on June 12: a severe murder of two people, theft, mutilation of corpses and theft of personal documents. Selyun was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court left the sentence in power.
The convict and his mother asked Alyaksandr Lukashenka for mercy. Pavel Selyun’s representative Andrei Paluda also sent an appeal to the UN Human Rights Committee.
