Viasna team mourn the sudden death of human rights activist Leanid Svetsik

On June 28, in Warsaw, at the age of almost 60, Leanid Svetsik, a human rights defender from Viciebsk, a member of Belarusian Association of Journalists, suddenly passed away.

For more than two decades, he was engaged in the protection of human rights in the Viciebsk region, took an active part in various human rights and educational programs and initiatives of Viasna Human Rights Center, repeatedly participated in election observation campaigns in Belarus, and addressed urgent regional problems and tried to solve them.

For his completely legal activities, Leanid had been subjected to administrative and criminal prosecution several times.

As a result, in 2021, Leanid Svetsik was forced to leave Belarus, fearing criminal prosecution. But he remained active in exile and continued to engage in human rights activities.

Viasna team mourn the premature death of their colleague and express their deep condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.