The sudden death of Belarusian activist Vitold Ashurak in prison on May 21, 2021, has raised concerns about the plight of political prisoners in the country. Ashurak, who was sentenced to five years in prison for his participation in protests in 2020, was reportedly the first to talk about the mass labeling of political prisoners in colonies with yellow tags to distinguish them. The authorities, however, have refused to investigate his death in detention.
As a result, human rights defenders from Viasna have chosen letters and the right to correspondence as the theme for this year’s Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners. The Belarusian authorities have deprived hundreds of political prisoners of their right to correspondence, with letters, postcards, and packages being blocked.
International events in support of Belarusian political prisoners are being held in various countries and cities around the world this year on May 21. The European Parliament has also called on the Belarusian government to immediately release political prisoners, including former presidential contender Viktar Babaryka, who was handed a 14-year prison sentence in 2021 on charges that he describes as political punishment for challenging authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in the 2020 election.
The parliament has condemned the “inhumane treatment” of political prisoners and urged Belarusian authorities to address the issue. Babaryka’s supporters claim that he was beaten and required surgery while in custody, and his lawyer was barred from visiting. Belarus faced mass protests after Lukashenko’s controversial re-election in August 2020, which was denounced as rigged by the opposition and the West. The authorities launched a major crackdown in response, arresting more than 35,000 people, shutting down media outlets and NGOs, and repeatedly using violence against protesters.
Belarus reportedly has around 1,500 political prisoners who are often subjected to cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment and torture. The European Parliament has also called for the release of Belarusian opposition leader, Viktor Babaryka, amid concerns for his welfare and mounting fears of government retribution.
Babaryka, a former banker, has been hospitalized in April with injuries following beatings by Belarusian authorities, and his condition is not known. He has been sentenced to prison in 2021 on charges he denies of seeking to challenge the country’s President Alexander Lukashenko in the presidential election of 2020, which was widely disputed with many describing it as rigged. The country was thrown into chaos following the election result, with protests erupting and leading to a violent crackdown on opposition figures.
The European Parliament “strongly condemned the inhumane treatment of political prisoners and their family members” in Belarus and called for broader sanctions against Belarusian officials. The calls for the release of political prisoners and the investigation into Ashurak’s death highlight the urgency for Belarusian authorities to respect and uphold human rights in the country.
