The statement on the recognition of 13 people as political prisoners

Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community

November 20, 2024

The Belarusian human rights community notes an increase in the number of convictions and imprisonments under several articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus relating to defamation and desecration of state symbols and for other actions aimed at the lawful exercise of freedom of expression.

We demand to put an end to the persecution of legitimate expression of views and, reaffirming our repeated calls to decriminalize defamation and to refrain from imposing custodial sentences for insulting officials, the state, government agencies, and symbols (as mentioned in the Joint statement of December 22, 2020), note the following:

We have identified the following persons in custody or imprisoned for “insulting” Aliaksandr Lukashenka, government officials (police officers), judges, state symbols, and other manifestations of freedom of opinion:

1. Stanislau Taspayeu, a person with a disability, detained on charges of discrediting the Republic of Belarus under Article 369-1 of the Criminal Code and repeated violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events under Article 342-2 of the Criminal Code;

2. Uladzimir Parashkou sentenced under Article 367 of the Criminal Code for defamation against A. Lukashenka to two years in a penal colony;

3. Henadz Horbach sentenced under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka to restriction of freedom with a referral to an open-type correctional facility for one year and six months;

4. Ina Paltsava sentenced under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka to two years in a penal colony;

5. Siarhei Kryvuts sentenced under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka to restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional facility;

6. Andrei Astapenka convicted on charges of insulting a representative of the government and a judge, threatening law enforcement officers in comments on the Internet; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

7. Andrei Savitski, sentenced under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka and Article 130-2 of the Criminal Code for denying the "genocide of the Belarusian people" to three years of imprisonment in a penal colony;

8. Artur Kanapatski sentenced under Article 370 of the Criminal Code on charges of desecration of state symbols to six months of imprisonment in a penal colony;

9. Artur Malchan sentenced under Article 370 of the Criminal Code on charges of desecration of state symbols to six months of imprisonment in a penal colony;

10. Aliaksandr Akakiyeu sentenced under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka to one year and six months of imprisonment in a penal colony; 

11. Yauhen Katliarou sentenced on charges of discrediting the Republic of Belarus under Articles 369-1 of the Criminal Code and insulting a government representative under Article 369 of the Criminal Code to one year and six months of imprisonment in a penal colony;

12. Dzmitry Suukhanau sentenced under Article 367 of the Criminal Code for defamation against A. Lukashenka to imprisonment in a penal colony;

13. Dzmitry Alkhovik sent for compulsory treatment to a psychiatric hospital on charges of insulting A. Lukashenka and a representative of the government, a threat to an official.

We consider the persecution and imprisonment of the named individuals to be politically motivated, related to the peaceful exercise of expressing thoughts, and consider them political prisoners in accordance with paragraph 3.1(a) of the Guidelines on the Definition of Political Prisoners. We demand from the Belarusian authorities:

• Immediately release political prisoners Stanislau Taspayeu, Uladzimir Parashkou, Henadz Horbach, Ina Paltsava, Siarhei Kryvuts, Andrei Astapenka, Andrei Savitski, Artur Kanapatski, Artur Malchan, Aliaksandr Akakiyeu, Yauhen Katliarou, Dzmitry Suukhanau, Dzmitry Alkhovik and stop criminal prosecution against them.

• To adopt measures aimed at the decriminalization of defamation offenses and repeal the articles of the Criminal Code that provide liability for insulting the state, state symbols, and officials, namely Articles 188, 367, 368, 369, 369-1, 370, and 391 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, and drop all ongoing criminal cases under these articles.

• Immediately release all political prisoners and stop political repression.

Human Rights Center "Viasna";

Belarusian Helsinki Committee;

Belarusian Association of Journalists;

Legal initiative;

Lawtrend.