The statement on the recognition of six people as political prisoners

Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community

July 31, 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. Siarhei Kharytanovich, convicted of insulting A. Lukashenka and a representative of the authorities under Articles 368, 369 of the Criminal Code; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

2. Neli Alfiorava, under Article 369 of the Criminal Code; she was sent to compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital for insulting a representative of the authorities;

3. Siarhei Lashchanka, convicted of insulting A. Lukashenka under Article 368 of the Criminal Code; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

4. Ihar Mezin, convicted of insulting A. Lukashenka and a representative of the authorities under Articles 368, 369 of the Criminal Code; he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony;

5. Uladzimir Nikitsin, convicted of calling for sanctions under Article 361 of the Criminal Code; he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in a penal colony;

6. Stanislau Shvaikouski, convicted of insulting A. Lukashenka under Article 368 of the Criminal Code; he was sentenced to imprisonment 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:

1. To immediately release political prisoners Siarhei Kharytanovich, Neli Alfiorava, Siarhei Lashchanka, Ihar Mezin, Uladzimir Nikitsin, Stanislau Shvaikouski and stop criminal prosecution against them.

2. Decriminalize defamation offenses and abolish the articles of the Criminal Code that institute liability for insulting the state and state symbols, namely Articles 188, 189, 367, 368, 369, 369-1, 370, and 391 of the Criminal Code, and drop all ongoing criminal cases under these articles.

3. Immediately release all political prisoners and stop political repression.

Human Rights Center Viasna;

Lawtrend;

Belarusian PEN;

Legal initiative;

Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House;

Belarusian Helsinki Committee.