In December, at least 20 political prisoners served their full sentences, and 49 people were pardoned.
There are currently 1,258 people recognized as political prisoners in Belarus, and their number is increasing almost weekly. Every month several dozen political prisoners leave their places of detention either after the expiration of the sentence or after the trial before being sent to an open-type correctional facility or to serve time in home confinement. The Lukashenka regime continues to release political prisoners on pardon. According to Viasna, at least 69 people were released in December: 20 served their full sentences, of which only two were women, and 49 more political prisoners were pardoned by Lukashenka's decrees. What political prisoners served their sentences for and how many of them were imprisoned, Viasna recalls their cases.
We publish stories about some of them.
Political prisoner Iryna Laushyna has been imprisoned for more than three years and three months.
Iryna is a former head of the BelaPAN news agency. Iryna was detained on August 18, 2021. She was charged under Part 1 of Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code (creation and leadership of an extremist group). At the same time, the authorities recognized BelaPAN as an extremist group only three months after her detention. Minsk Regional Court sentenced the political prisoner to four years in a penal colony
In early December, Iryna posted her first post on her Facebook page after her release:
"Hello to all my friends! On December 7, I left penal colony 4, having served 3 years, 3 months, and 3 weeks behind bars. As I intend to stay in Belarus, any comments from my side, as you understand, are not possible.
I can only say that my health is fine, and my mood is fine too. I'm getting used to freedom, to the happiness of being with my family, to ordinary life.
Thank you to everyone who has been worried about me all this time, I felt your support from a distance!"
Political prisoner Aliaksandr Bireta has been imprisoned for more than one year and nine months
In August 2023, the Hrodna District Court sentenced a resident of Vierciališki to two years of imprisonment in a general security penal colony.
The political prisoner was sentenced to two years of imprisonment under four articles of the Criminal Code: Part 1 of Article 368 (insulting Lukashenka), Part 2 of Article 367 (slandering Lukashenka), Article 369 (insulting a representative of the authorities), Article 188 (slander). In addition, Aliaksandr must pay a thousand rubles (300 euros) in compensation for moral damage. The injured riot police officer, Maryia Mazurkevich, wanted twice as much money.
The political prisoner served his time in penal colony 17 in Škloŭ.
Political prisoner Aliaksandr Tarasenka has been imprisoned for more than one year and nine months
Aliaksandr is a former hieromonk of the Homieĺ St. Nicholas Monastery. He was detained in March 2023. In the "penitent" video, Tarasenka said that he had published an insulting post about Lukashenka on his Facebook page.
In July 2023, the Čyhunačny District Court of Homieĺ announced the verdict of the political prisoner: two years in a penal colony. Judge Ihar Svirydau handled the case. Aliaksandr was serving his sentence in penal colony No. 15 in Mahilioŭ. According to human rights activists, Aliaksandr was supposed to be released at the end of December 2024.
Political prisoner Viktar Kulinka has been imprisoned for more than two years and eight months
In September 2022, the Homieĺ Regional Court sentenced digital artist Viktar Kulinka to three years in a medium security penal colony. He was accused of facilitating extremist activities under Articles 361-4 of the Criminal Code for sending a photo of a convoy of Russian military equipment heading towards Homieĺ to the Belarusian Hayun Telegram channel after the start of the full-scale invasion. Judge Iryna Vladyka heard the case.
Viktar was detained on March 30, 2022, and a "penitential" video was recorded with him, where he says that he photographed a convoy of Russian military equipment heading towards Homieĺ.
Political prisoner Yauhen Babak has been imprisoned for more than three years and six months
A former assistant prosecutor of the Peršamajski district of Minsk was detained on June 11, 2021. First, he was convicted twice in administrative cases, and then detained as part of a criminal case.
He was charged under two articles of the Criminal Code: Part 1 of Article 342 (group actions violating public order) and Part 1 of Article 130 (incitement to hatred), and sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Yauhen is known for launching in August 2020 an investigation into the people in traffic police uniforms who beat up bikers on the night of August 11. The investigation did not bring any results, and Babak resigned.
In early January, he posted stories on Instagram:
"I'll take a quick look around here and if I don't like it, I'll go back. I feel like a foreign element. It was easier there."
The political prisoner served his term in penal colony No. 3 in Viciebsk.
Two pardoning decrees
During December, 49 political prisoners, including 22 women, were released on pardon. Pro-government activist Yury Vaskrasenski announced the names of the five pardoned: Irena Kliavets, Natallia Kruk, Ina Paltsava, Anita Bakunovich, and Volkava (there are several women with such surnames, so it is unknown who exactly Vaskrasenski was talking about).
- Irena Kliavets
Irena Kliavets is a specialist at the Minsk City Agency for State Registration and Land Cadastre. She was detained in the summer of 2022. The political prisoner was sentenced to six years in a general security penal colony under four articles. Four minor children were waiting for the woman to be released.
- Natallia Kruk. A photo from social media
Natallia Kruk was detained for comments on August 7, 2023, after returning from Poland. Then the security forces published a video in which she refused to answer the questions of propagandist Azarenka. The woman was charged under two articles of the Criminal Code: Part 3 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code (calls for sanctions) and Article 342 of the Criminal Code (active participation in group actions grossly violating public order). In May 2024, the Minsk City Court heard Natallia's case. The judge was Zhanna Brysina. The result of the trial is unknown.
- Anita Bakunovich in the KGB pre-trial detention center. Screenshot from a state propaganda film
Anita Bakunovich was detained on September 21, 2022, in Hrodna while trying to cross the border with Lithuania illegally. For a long time, she was held in the KGB pre-trial detention center and was not allowed a lawyer. The political prisoner was accused under Part 3 of Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code (participation in an extremist formation), Part 1 of Article 14, and Part 3 of Article 371 of the Criminal Code (attempted illegal border crossing). In April 2023, the Hrodna Regional Court sentenced Anita to three and a half years of imprisonment and a fine of 3,700 roubles (more than 1,100 euros). At the same time, at the end of June 2022, Bakunovich was already sentenced to two years of home confinement under Article 342 of the Criminal Code.
