The statement on the recognition of 19 people as political prisoners

Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community

February 26, 2025

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 imprisoned for insulting A. Lukashenka, government officials (police officers), judges and insulting the state and state symbols, other forms of freedom of expression:

1. Armen Arzumanian, convicted under articles 361 and 367 of the Criminal Code for calls for sanctions and defamation of A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

2. Siarhei Latushka, convicted under articles 369 and 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting a representative of the authorities and A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

3. Natallia Vasilenka, convicted under articles 369-1 and 367 of the Criminal Code for discrediting the Republic of Belarus and for slandering Lukashenka; she was sentenced to imprisonment;

4. Uladzimir Shpak, convicted under articles 342, 361, and 361-1 of the Criminal Code on charges of organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them, calling for sanctions, creating an extremist group or participating in it; he was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment;

5. Karyna Pratashchyk, convicted under Article 361 of the Criminal Code for calls for sanctions; she was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a penal colony;

6. Uladzislau Koshaleu, convicted under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka to restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional facility and sent to a correctional facility;

7. Ruslan Zubkou, convicted under articles 368 and 361-4 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka and facilitating "extremist activities"; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

8. Maksim Yermalovich, placed in custody under articles 361-1 and 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of creating or participating in an extremist group and insulting a representative of the authorities;

9. Danila Chybisau, placed in custody under articles 361 and 361-4 on charges of calling for sanctions and facilitating "extremist activities";

10. Pavel Lashchanka, placed in custody on the charge of involvement in "extremist activities”;

11. Alena Yelkina, placed in custody under articles 361 and 361-1 on charges of calling for sanctions and creating or participating in an extremist group;

12. Anton Varabei, placed in custody under Article 368 for insulting A. Lukashenka;

13. Andrei Kreidzich, placed in custody under Article 368 for insulting A. Lukashenka;

14. Hleb Zhukau, convicted under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

15. Dzmitry Kastsiuk, convicted under articles 369 and 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting a representative of the authorities and A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

16. Raman Ramanau convicted under articles 369 and 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting a representative of the authorities and A. Lukashenka; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

17. Uladzimir Martsinkevich, convicted under articles 369, 368, and 203-1 of the Criminal Code for insulting a representative of the authorities and A. Lukashenka and distribution of personal data; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

18. Viachaslau Kurylchyk convicted under articles 361 and 361-1 on charges of calling for sanctions and creating or participating in an extremist group; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

19. Ihar Shukanau, placed in custody under articles 342 and 367 of the Criminal Code on charges of active participation in group actions grossly violating public order and slandering Lukashenka.

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 Armen Arzumanian, Siarhei Latushka, Natallia Vasilenka, Uladzimir Shpak, Karyna Pratashchyk, Uladzislau Koshaleu, Ruslan Zubkou, Maksim Yermalovich, Danila Chybisau, Pavel Lashchanka, Alena Yelkina, Anton Verabei, Andrei Kreidzich, Hleb Zhukau, Dzmitry Kastsiuk, Raman Ramanau, Uladzimir Martsinkevich, Viachaslau Kurylchyk, Ihar Shukanau and stop criminal prosecution in relation to them.

• Decriminalize defamation offenses and abolish the articles of the Criminal Code that institute liability for insulting the state and state symbols, namely Articles 188, 189, 367, 368, 369, 369-1, 370, and 391 of the Criminal Code, and drop all ongoing criminal cases under these articles.

• Immediately release all political prisoners and stop political repression.

Human Rights Center Viasna;

Lawtrend;

Legal initiative;

PEN Belarus;

Belarusian Helsinki Committee.