Political prisoner Ihar Lednik died. He had health problems Updated
Ihar Lednik, a political prisoner and a civil activist, died at the age of 64. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment for "slandering Lukashenka" for writing an article in Pazicyja, a magazine of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP). The political prisoner had a disability of the second group due to heart problems, but he was sentenced to imprisonment anyway. In the colony, Ihar Lednik's health deteriorated significantly, and he underwent a gastrointestinal surgery. The cause of death of the political prisoner was cardiac arrest. Doctors tried to resuscitate him, but to no avail. Ihar Lednik died in the Minsk district hospital, where he was brought from Babruijsk colony No. 2, where he was serving his term. This is the fifth death of a political prisoner behind bars.
- Ihar Lednik
Ihar Lednik was detained on April 12, 2022. In September 2022, the former member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) was sentenced to three years in a penal colony. Ihar was accused of slandering Lukashenka (Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code). The case was considered by judge Tatsiana Shotsik. According to the case file, Lednik submitted an article for publication in one of the magazines with the headline Internationally Recognized Neutrality of Belarus is a Guarantee of Security in the OSCE Region. It contained "deliberately false information discrediting and degrading the honor and dignity of Lukashenka, combined with accusations of particularly serious crimes, against the security of mankind among others." The political prisoner served his term in Mahilioŭ colony No. 15.
According to the Telegram channel of the BSDP, Lednik's health condition deteriorated significantly in the colony, and he underwent a gastrointestinal surgery. The cause of death of the political prisoner was cardiac arrest. Doctors tried to resuscitate him, but to no avail. Ihar Lednik died in the Minsk district hospital, where he was brought from Babruijsk colony No. 2, where he was serving his term.
Human rights defenders Viasna express condolences to the relatives and friends of the political prisoner
The fifth death of a political prisoner behind bars
This is the fifth political prisoner in Belarus who died imprisoned. The first known case of death of a political prisoner behind bars is the death of a 50-year-old activist from Biarozaŭka Vitold Ashurak on May 21, 2022, in Škloŭ colony No. 17. the official reason is cardiac arrest, although, according to relatives, the man did not complain about his health before the imprisonment. In the video from the colony, the man looked exhausted and could barely stand on his feet. When the relatives were shown the body of the political prisoner, the head was almost fully bandaged. The Investigative Committee stated that the death of the political prisoner was not of a criminal nature, and has not yet opened a criminal case.
On May 7, 2023, a 61-year-old political prisoner, blogger, and public activist from Pinsk Mikalai Klimovich died in Viciebsk colony No. 3. He had a group II disability due to a disease of the cardiac system; he had suffered a stroke and undergone a complex heart surgery. Despite this, the court in Pinsk sentenced him to imprisonment. Before the verdict, the blogger said that he could die behind bars, as he needs to take a large number of strong medications. The man survived in the colony for a little more than two months.
On the night of July 11, 57-year-old political prisoner and artist Ales Pushkin died in intensive care. He had a perforated ulcer and was not treated in time in Hrodna prison No. 1. The artist was already brought to the hospital in an unconscious state, and his heart stopped on the surgical table.
On the night of January 9, 2024, Vadzim Khrasko, a 50-year-old political prisoner died of pneumonia in Viciebsk colony No. 3. In August 2023, the Minsk City Court sentenced him to three years in prison for several donations, despite the fact that the man had a serious illness. According to Viasna human rights activists, Vadzim was ill during his imprisonment. The man was taken to the hospital when he could no longer be saved.
"I'm probably just going to die here": The situation of political prisoners from vulnerable groups
