A political prisoner convicted for donations died of pneumonia in the colony
Vadzim Khrasko, a 50-year-old political prisoner, died in Viciebsk colony No. 3. In August 2023, the Minsk City Court sentenced him to three years in prison for several donations, despite the fact that the man had a serious illness. According to Viasna human rights activists, Vadzim was ill during his imprisonment. The political prisoner died on the night of January 8–9 from pneumonia. The man was taken to the hospital when he could no longer be saved. This is the fourth death of a political prisoner behind bars.
- Vadzim Khrasko
Vadzim Khrasko, was detained on April 15, 2023, under Article 361-2 of the Criminal Code (financing of extremist activities). The reason for the detention was several donations. Before the trial, he was placed in SIZO-1.
On August 4, 2023, the judge of the Minsk City Court, Siarhei Khrypach, sentenced the political prisoner to three years in a general security penal colony. He filed an appeal. On October 13, the judicial board of the Supreme Court, chaired by Aliaksei Tetsiukhin, upheld Vadzim Khrasko's sentence. The man was sentenced to imprisonment, despite a serious illness. On November 3, the Interior Ministry added Vadzim Khrasko to the "list of extremists".
Vadzim was sent to Viciebsk colony No. 3 to serve his sentence, where, according to human rights activists, he stayed for about two months. The political prisoner died on the night of January 8–9. According to Viasna human rights activists, Vadzim had a number of illnesses and was ill during his imprisonment. The official cause of death was pneumonia. The man was taken to the hospital when he could no longer be saved.
The officials do not comment on the incident in the Viciebsk colony in any way. On January 12, Vadzim Khrasko was buried in Minsk.
Viasna human rights defenders expresses condolences to the relatives and friends of the political prisoner.
This is the fourth death of a political prisoner behind bars
This is the fourth political prisoner in Belarus who died imprisoned. The first known case of death of a political prisoner behind bars is the death of a 50-year-old activist from Biarozaŭka Vitold Ashurak on May 21, 2022, in Škloŭ colony No. 17. the official reason is cardiac arrest, although, according to relatives, the man did not complain about his health before the imprisonment. In the video from the colony, the man looked exhausted and could barely stand on his feet. When the relatives were shown the body of the political prisoner, the head was almost fully bandaged. The Investigative Committee stated that the death of the political prisoner was not of a criminal nature, and has not yet opened a criminal case.
On May 7, 2023, a 61-year-old political prisoner, blogger, and public activist from Pinsk Mikalai Klimovich died in Viciebsk colony No. 3. He had a group II disability due to a disease of the cardiac system; he had suffered a stroke and undergone a complex heart surgery. Despite this, the court in Pinsk sentenced him to imprisonment. Before the verdict, the blogger said that he could die behind bars, as he needs to take a large number of strong medications. The man survived in the colony for a little more than two months.
On the night of July 11, 57-year-old political prisoner and artist Ales Pushkin died in intensive care. He had a perforated ulcer and was not treated in time in Hrodna prison No. 1. The artist was already brought to the hospital in an unconscious state, and his heart stopped on the surgical table.
