From 5 to 10 October in our country at the initiative of human rights defenders The Week Against the Death Penalty. Belarus – the last country in Europe and the former Soviet Union, where the death penalty is applied in practice...

Our correspondent met with Vlad Kovalev's mother, accused of involvement in the explosion in the Minsk metro, which five years ago for the first time faced with the obvious imperfections of the current judicial system in Belarus.

Mrs Lyubov, remember, please, episodes of bias or deliberate attitude by the prosecution to your son, that would indicate it was not involved in the explosion in the subway.

Going back to the past, I realize that everything that happened with my son – it's pure coincidence.

Many questions is a Russian SIM card "Megaphone", which were seized in the apartment of Dmitry Konovalov removed, and that the judge banned explore. I suppose, if the study were allowed to clarify many issues. Initially claimed lawyer Stanislav Abrazey a request for sim card research consent was obtained, but the next day the judge Alexander Fedortsov canceled its the same decision. Speaking on the merits, all the lawyer's request, relating to the explosion in the subway, methodically rejected. By the way, this also applies to motions of the victims.

In the same row, and the resignation is September 20 the Prosecutor General of Belarus Ryhor Vasilevich.

I think this is due to the fact that during the trial 15 September Vlad refused all testimony given during the investigation. Son explained that they were obtained as a result of psychological and physical effects, ie by torture. Beatings were recorded investigative and medical expertise, and its conclusions lawyer read out in court. Refused Vlad and confirmation from video confrontation with Dmitri Konovalov. As he explained, before recording the investigator warned: if he changes his testimony on video, they paints with brilliant green forehead and let it flow in. Disclaimer Vlad increased his testimony during the trial, and after Lukashenko said the whole country, that the process should go through as quickly as possible and those responsible should be shot.

In fact the prosecution in court everything was falling apart, and the guys had to let go: no concrete evidence of their guilt was not. All examination that was conducted by the Russian FSB, testified to their innocence.

The only thing a date with my son has been given before the trial, on September 9 for twenty minutes. Talking on the merits of the criminal case was strictly forbidden. And this practice exists only here. In some countries, to allow the person under investigation even journalists. Yes there journalists – to Vlad was not allowed even to his lawyer! Until the completion of the investigation the lawyer had the right to be present only on the investigative actions as an extra. After completing the investigation the lawyer was supposed to meet with his son to reconcile his line of defense, but he was not allowed to Vlad, explaining the refusal absence of free rooms for meetings.

Do the death penalty can be a deterrent to the real criminal? And how you think, why in Belarus is still a death penalty?

Not at all! And the nations of Europe and the former Soviet Union states have abolished the death penalty. In June, I was at the Congress in Oslo, where the card labeled hung countries applying the death penalty – so sad for my country! We like primitive people! No legal effect, it does not. We have a lot of people do not even know to a certain point, that in the country there is an article of the criminal code on the death penalty. I myself was not aware of this.

The worst thing in the application of the death penalty – is the probability of error. Often and sentence, and sentenced to death is absolutely innocent people. And to many examples! The fact that we have a court is based on the recognition of the defendant and does not pay attention to the fact that his guilt has to be proven at trial a hundred percent. We do not. During the investigation, the suspect knocked recognition – and that's enough.

Currently, the existence of the death penalty, I can explain only some of the political aim, which the state pursues. And, I suppose, – economic. It is a kind of pressure on the international organizations. And not only. After "our cause" state even more tightened legislation against the common people. In addition to "terrorism" appeared punishment for "extremism", under which any citizen can get involved in peaceful protest, defending their constitutional rights. All this is done to intimidate people.

At the congress in Oslo spoke the man who served for a crime deficient for 24 years and as a result was acquitted. Do you remember the fate of the crippled Michael Smooth from Minsk region, which deficient for killing his brother he spent eight years. It's good that he was not sentenced to death, and have taken out time: after eight years, the real killer was arrested for committing another murder. And for that mistake nobody suffered punishment! This is scary!

Although for me now that I am absolutely convinced of the innocence of his son, even adequate punishment of those who committed a deliberate crime against him, will not bring relief.

Why the death penalty in Belarus, where a significant part of society – against this punishment? It turns out that the government makes the sentence and on the part of citizens who are against. What she has on the right to decide for me? I think that at the moment for the abolition of the death penalty in our country the most.

Mrs Lyubov, how strong was the solidarity and support of people who understood the connotations of what is happening? How is it manifested?

When there was a trouble with my son in the court, I met with many caring people who were even among the victims of the explosion. People just want to know the truth. I felt support from their side. I believe that Vlad and it saw and felt. People in the audience were for the guys. This gave him the strength to tell the truth about what happened, what they did with them. As an act of solidarity can result in the fact that after the message about his execution in Minsk people come to share a memory with candles and flowers. The peaceful rally was violently suppressed by security forces.

Including brought flowers to our house and, although there were on duty the people who would not let anyone into the house. Many people have written me letters.

I think that "our cause" many Belarusians opened our eyes to everything that happens in the country, on the consequences of the rotten system to that rotten court system, the complete lack of presumption of innocence and the omnipotence of telephone law imposed from above. Applying the death penalty, the government behaves cynically towards society. If there is no one hundred percent proof of guilt sentenced to death, it is through the media imposes on the citizens of the opinion of the infallibility of the court and the justice of the sentence.

S. Horki