The statement on the recognition of 13 people as political prisoners

Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community

December 24, 2024

The Belarusian human rights community notes an increase in the number of convictions and imprisonments under several defamation and desecration of state symbols articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, and for other actions aimed at the lawful exercise of the 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 received information about the following persons put in custody and imprisoned for insulting A. Lukashenka, government officials (police officers), judges and insulting the state and state symbols, other forms of freedom of expression:

1. Artsiom Yankin under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to three months of imprisonment in a penal colony;

2. Aliaksandr Kireyeu under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to one year in a penal colony;

3. Dzmitry Belanovich under Articles 368 and 369 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka and a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

4. Yauhen Anoshyn under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to one year and six months of imprisonment in a penal colony;

5. Maksim Myslivets under Article 361 of the Criminal Code for calls for actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus (sanctions); he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

6. Mikhail Herasimchyk under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to one year and six months of imprisonment in a penal colony;

7. Yury Bialkevich under Articles 342 and 368 of the Criminal Code for organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them, and insulting A. Lukashenka; she was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

8. Dzmitry Sonchyk under Articles 391, 368, and 369 of the Criminal Code for insulting a judge, A. Lukashenka, and a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

9. Mikalai Dzemchanka under Article 367 of the Criminal Code for defamation of A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

10. Alena Kiyanichenka under Articles 369 and 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting a representative of the authorities and A. Lukashenka; she was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

11. Andrei Kunitski under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a high-security penal colony;

12. Siarhei Miadzvedzeu under Articles 368 and 369 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka and a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to restriction of freedom in an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

13. Tamara Patotskaya was placed in custody under Articles 361 and 342 of the Criminal Code for calling for actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus (sanctions), and for organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them,

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 Artsiom Yankin, Aliaksandr Kireyeu, Dzmitry Belanovich, Yauhen Anoshyn, Maksim Myslivets, Mikhail Herasimchyk, Yury Bialkevich, Dzmitry Sonchyk, Mikalai Dzemchanka, Alena Kiyanichenka, Andrei Kunitski, Siarhei Miadzvedzeu, Tamara Patotskaya 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";

Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

Belarusian Association of Journalists;

Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House;

Belarusian PEN;

Lawtrend;

Legal initiative.