DEMONSTRATIONS FOR THE ABOLISHING OF DEATH PENALTY IN FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS

(Kiev, 22 April, 1992) - The second during the last month demonstration for the abolishing of death penalty in Ukraine was organized today by Radical Party. The demonstration took place at 5 pm local time in front of Ukrainian president's residence on Bankovska street. Like at the last time, Radicals were not received in president's office.The letter, signed by Nikolaj Khramov, Vladimir Ivanov, co-president of the Green Party, Artur Belous, member of presidency of Ukrainian Party for Democratic Revival, Andrej Koval, vice president of Ukrainian Social Democratic Party, Natalja Vasiljuk, journalist of Kievska Pravda, Inna Gavriljuk and other Radicals, living and working in Kiev, was delivered to the president's office. In this letter they reminded Mr Kravchuk of the plea to abolish death sentences in Ukraine and to exclude capital punishment from national legislation, which was expressed in the previous appeal at March 31. They underlined again the positive international political effect which could have such step."Vechernij Kiev" (Kiev In The Evening) newspaper informed their readers yesterday about the planed action on Bankovska street. After the demonstration Nikolaj Khramov was interviewed by the correspondent of Ukrinform news agency.(Minsk, 22 April, 1992) - Belorussian Radicals also demonstrated today near House of Government on Lenin square in Minsk for abolishing of death penalty in their country. They delivered to the Supreme Council the letter of the Radical Party, addressed to Stanislav Shushkevich, speaker of Belorussian parliament, in which the abolishing of death penalty in Belorussia was requested. Also the text of EP's resolution A3-0062/92 against death penalty was enclosed.Unlike the demonstration in Ukraine, during all the 50 minutes of manifestation police was especially presented on Lenin square. Aleksandr Savitskij, chief of public security in Moskovsky District Department of Interior of Minsk city, appealing to the demonstrators, declared that they "have no right to hold here the EC flag", used by Radicals while the action. Police officer referred to the decision of Belorussian Council of Ministers passed in the last year, which is still acting and which forbids to use on the streets of Belorussian cities any kind of flags and symbols, except Belorussian national symbols.In the same evening "Dobryj Vecher" (Good Evening) newspaper published on the front page the information about Radical Party's demonstration.(Tbilisi, 22 April, 1992) - All kinds of street actions are still forbidden in Georgian capital because of extra-ordinary situation, declared by Military Council after the overthrow of president Gamsakhurdia. However Radical members - including D. Dzhanelidze, deputy of National Congress, and Mamuka Tsagareli, vice minister of information and member of presidency of Georgian Party for National Independence - sended the letter to Mr Eduard Shevardnadze, president of Council of State, in which they asked to abolish urgently death penalty in Georgia.