The statement on the recognition of 12 people as political prisoners

Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community

February 6, 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 imprisoned for insulting A. Lukashenka, government officials (police officers), judges and insulting the state and state symbols, other forms of freedom of expression:

1. Artur Holubeu convicted under Articles 342, 369, 368, 366 of the Criminal Code for calls to participate in protest actions, insulting government officials and A. Lukashenka, threats in comments against officials; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

2. Artsiom Antonau placed in custody under Article 368 of the Criminal Code on charges of insulting A. Lukashenka;

3. Aleh Zykun convicted under Article 203-1 of the Criminal Code for the dissemination of data of representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; he was sentenced to imprisonment;

4. Maksim Karankou convicted under Article 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of insulting a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

5. Andrei Lomsha convicted under Articles 188, 368, 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of defamation, insulting A. Lukashenka and a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to three years of restriction of freedom with a referral to an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

6. Viachaslau Panasiuk convicted under Article 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of insulting a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to two years of restriction of liberty with referral to an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

7. Aliaksandr Skvartsou convicted under Article 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of insulting a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

8. Mikhail Chumakou convicted under Article 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of insulting a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

9. Ruslan Shukala convicted under Article 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of insulting a representative of the government; he was sentenced to restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

10. Filip Zalesky convicted under Articles 364 and 369 of the Criminal Code on charges of threatening employees of internal affairs bodies in comments and insulting a representative of the authorities; he was sentenced to restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional institution and sent to a correctional institution;

11. Veranika Kazak convicted under Articles 364, 369, 368, 391 of the Criminal Code for threatening employees of internal affairs bodies, insulting government officials, A. Lukashenka and judges; she was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

12. Henadz Zhukel convicted under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting A. Lukashenka and sentenced to one year in a penal colony.

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 Artur Holubeu, Artsiom Antonau, Aleh Zykun, Maksim Karankou, Andrei Lomsha, Viachaslau Panasiuk, Aliaksandr Skvartsou, Mikhail Chumakou, Ruslan Shukala, Filip Zaleski, Veranika Kazak, Henadz Zhukel and stop criminal prosecution against them;

• take measures aimed at decriminalizing defamation offenses and repealing articles of the Criminal Code that provide for liability for insulting the State, state symbols and officials, namely, Articles 188, 189, 361, 367, 368, 369, 369-1, 370, and 391 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, and to terminate all previously initiated under these articles criminal cases;

• immediately release all political prisoners and stop political repression.

Human Rights Center Viasna;

Belarusian Helsinki Committee;

Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House;

PEN Belarus;

Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

Legal initiative;

Lawtrend;

Human Constanta.