Lack of air, overcrowded cells, night with light. What Belarusians reported during the documentation in 2023
In 2023, Viasna human rights defenders documented stories of 194 victims of the Lukashenka regime. People reported inhuman conditions in places of detention, ill-treatment by police officers, politically motivated trials, arbitrary detentions, threats of violence, and physical and psychological consequences of these actions. Human rights activists spoke about the specifics of documenting in 2023.
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Documenting the reports of victims in 2023 included stories that occurred in 2020–2023. Some victims of the actions of the police in 2020, for example, decide to document their persecution only now. Many of the victims' stories began a year or more ago, which ended only with their release in 2023.
The age of the victims who shared their stories ranges from 20 to 70 years old. About 37% of those documented are women, 63% are men. During the documentation, a significant part of the victims were already in safe countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Georgia, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and others.
"Many victims, recalling the conditions in places of detention said that it was cold and there was no heating in the cells, the lights were on at night and people were woken up, bedding and hygiene items were not provided. The victims also shared that they were not taken for walks and showers, and there was no hot water in the cells. Insects in the cells were often mentioned in the stories, the most common were bedbugs," the documenters note.
Also, many victims said that medical care was not provided or provided improperly. For example, tonsillitis was treated with the same medications as the common cold. At the same time, people often reported that they received medical care on time and were given medications.
"The victims spoke about the physical violence that was used against them during detention or in places of detention. They also shared information about threats of sexual violence and murder. Some of the victims were subjected to the use of a stun gun, strangulated, or put in stress position for a long period of time. Psychological violence was used against many victims."
But the story of persecution does not always end with the release. Former prisoners often face increased attention from authorities (checks, calls), refusal to hire, dismissal, and emigration due to the threat of re-detention or pressure from authorities. Mentioning the consequences of detention and long-term imprisonment, the victims noted deterioration of health: blurred vision, difficulty sleeping, weight loss, dental problems, constant fatigue, hair loss, and memory problems. The victims also talked about the psychological consequences: panic attacks, paranoia, isolation, problems with socialization, anxiety.
The documentation team collected 23 of the most common words and expressions in the stories which were documented in 2023: emigration, detention, search, Minsk, handcuffs, detainee truck, court, threats, night with lights, riot police, criminal case, police department, investigative committee, no mattresses, physical violence, interrogation, police, standing cell, Akrescina, not being taken to the shower, overcrowded cells, KGB, lack of air.
The Human Rights Center Viasna continues to collect and document the facts of torture in Belarus
If you have suffered from torture by the security forces or have faced inhuman and cruel treatment in a pre-trial detention center, violation of human rights-please write to: Telegram: @ViasnaDOC. Email: viasnadoc@spring96.org.You can also tell your story to the journalists of Viasna: @viasna96
