The UN registered the appeal of ex-political prisoner Leanid Sudalenka in the Viasna case
On October 12, 2023, the UN Human Rights Committee registered an individual appeal of human rights defender and former political prisoner Leanid Sudalenka in the criminal case of Viasna. Recall that in September 2021, he was sentenced to three years in a penal colony under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 342 (organization and financing of actions that grossly violate public order). The human rights defender has fully served his sentence and has been released.
"They often repeated in the colony: if the sentence has entered into force, then you are a criminal! And how could it enter into legal force if I was not taken from prison to the court of appeal and my lawyer was not summoned to the court of second instance. The case was considered in secret. How can you call it?" says the ex-political prisoner.
The human rights defender explains the importance of the international mechanism of the UN Human Rights Committee by the fact that it makes it possible to document human rights violations in detail, even when Belarus refuses to comply with the Committee's decisions.
"The very recognition by the Committee that such violations have taken place is an important legal assessment of the actions committed by the Belarusian regime. Such procedures make it possible not to leave violations invisible: both for civil society within the country and for the international community. The human rights situation in Belarus should remain on the agenda and remind the community of the need for solidarity initiatives, support for prisoners and those who are persecuted, and bringing the Belarusian authorities to justice," Leanid Sudalenka explains.
Recall that in connection with the withdrawal of Belarus from the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on February 8, 2023, the victims are deprived of the opportunity to defend their rights in the UN Committee.
Leanid Sudalenka was released from colony No. 3 on July 21, 2023, having fully served his sentence. During his detention, the Ministry of Internal Affairs included the political prisoner human rights defender in the list of persons involved in extremist activities. The human rights defender stayed in Belarus for 11 days, and then he moved to Lithuania.
The individual appeal was prepared and sent to the UN Human Rights Committee by the legal service of the human rights center Viasna. You can apply for help in appealing human rights violations to the UN by mail zvarot@spring96.org or on Telegram @zvarot96.
Read an interview with Leanid after his release:
Rights advocate Leanid Sudalenka on his jail experience: “I was labeled a persistent violator”
