BERLIN: Chancellor Olaf Scholz is concerned about the case of a German national sentenced to death in Belarus, said a government spokesperson on Friday.
Germany’s foreign ministry confirmed last week that a German national had been sentenced to death in Belarus. The Belarusian human rights organization Viasna identified him as Rico Krieger, who faces charges related to terrorism and mercenary activity.
At a regular press conference, a German government spokesperson stated, “Chancellor Scholz, like the entire federal government, is deeply concerned about these events.”
Krieger, who has described himself as an emergency services worker, has reportedly asked Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for clemency. According to Russia’s Tass news agency, which cited footage from Belarus-1 state TV, Krieger admitted to being instructed by Ukraine’s SBU security service to photograph military sites in Belarus and to place a backpack on train tracks near Minsk, which later exploded without causing injuries.
“I truly hope that President Lukashenko will forgive and pardon me,” Krieger was quoted as saying.
The German consulate is in contact with Krieger, and a foreign office spokesperson in Berlin criticized the practice of displaying detainees in videos, calling it a violation of their dignity. Germany is urging Belarus to cease this practice and reiterated its opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances.
