Statement on the recognition of seven people as political prisoners

Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community

August 23, 2024

We, the representatives of the Belarusian human rights community, once again emphasize that imprisonment and criminal liability for various protest activities are used by authorities to suppress public and political activism, dissent and anti-war demonstrations.

In 2021, criminal legislation was significantly tightened and supplemented with new types of crimes used by authorities exclusively for political repression.

Out-of-court, the Interior Ministry and the KGB arbitrarily recognize as extremist citizens' groups brought together by public or political interests that criticize the actions of the authorities and demand reforms in the state and its policies. Several media resources were recognized as extremist formations as well. This in turn paves the way for the arbitrary prosecution and imprisonment of their members and respondents as a disproportionate measure restricting the right to association and freedom of expression. For instance:

• Anton Stankevich was detained under Article 361-2 of the Criminal Code on charges of financing extremist activities for donations to protest initiatives;
• Aliaksei Kisialiou was detained under Articles 361-4 and 361-5 of the Criminal Code on charges of promoting extremist activities and undergoing education or other training for participation in extremist activities for joining the initiative of distance training of professionals declared by an extremist formation;
• Natallia Zhyhar was detained under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code on charges of promoting extremist activity for supporting political prisoners;
• Natallia Davydulina was detained under Art. 361-4 of the Criminal Code for promoting extremist activities;
• Vital Leskavets was detained under Article 361-2 and Part 2 of Article 361-3 of the Criminal Code on charges of financing extremist activities and participation of citizens in military conflicts for donations to protest initiatives and Belarusian volunteers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Also, the following persons were convicted:

• Yahor Voukau under Articles 342 and 361-2 of the Criminal Code on charges of participation in group actions that grossly violated public order and financing extremist activities for participation in peaceful protests and for donations to protest initiatives to three years imprisonment;
• Ihar Nazheyeu, under Articles 342 and 361-4 of the Criminal Code, for participation in group actions that grossly violate public order and for promoting extremist activities, to three years' imprisonment.

We recognize the mentioned individuals as political prisoners in accordance with paragraph 3.1(a) of the Guidelines on the Definition of Political Prisoner, and demand that the Belarusian authorities

• immediately release the political prisoners Anton Stankevich, Aliaksei Kisialiou, Natallia Zhyhar, Natallia Davydulina, Vital Leskavets, Yahor Voukau, Ihar Nazheyeu;
• immediately release all political prisoners and stop the political repression against the citizens of the country.

Viasna Human Rights Center;

Legal Initiative.