At least 24 people were released in November after serving their sentences, and 63 more were pardoned
There are currently 1,290 people recognized as political prisoners in Belarus, and their number is increasing almost weekly. Every month several dozen political prisoners leave their places of detention either after the expiration of the sentence or after the trial before being sent to an open-type correctional facility or to serve time in home confinement. In addition, the regime continues to release political prisoners on pardon. According to Viasna's estimates, at least 1,302 people have left penal facilities since 2020. In November, at least 87 people were released: 24 served their sentences in full, of which only four were women, and 63 more political prisoners were pardoned by Lukashenka. What political prisoners served their sentences for and how many of them were imprisoned, Viasna recalls their cases.
We publish the stories of some of them.
Political prisoner Sviatlana Karol — more than one year and two months of imprisonment
Sviatlana is a senior citizen and cycling activist from Homieĺ. In 2020, the woman joined the Homieĺ Coordinating Council.
In 2023, the woman was detained in late September in Homeĺ. Sviatlana was accused of "slandering Lukashenka" (Article 367 of the Criminal Code) and of "inciting social hatred or hostility" (Article 130 of the Criminal Code). At the end of March, the Homeĺ Regional Court sentenced her to a year and a half in a general security penal colony.
On November 23, the political prisoner was released from the Homieĺ women's colony at the end of her term.
Political prisoner Liudmila Charniha — more than two years and four months of imprisonment
Liudmila was detained in June 2022. She was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment in a penal colony under Article 328 of the Criminal Code (illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their precursors and analogs) and Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organization and preparation of actions grossly violating public order, or active participation in them). She served her sentence in Homieĺ penal colony No. 4.
According to estimates of human rights activists, she was released in November 2024, having fully served her sentence.
Political prisoner Uladzimir Zapolskikh — about one year of imprisonment
Uladzimir is a student of the Belarusian State University. He was detained in the Zeltser case.
The young man was accused of "inciting other social hatred" (Part 1 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code), "active participation in actions grossly violating public order" (Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code), and "insulting a representative of the authorities" (Article 369 of the Criminal Code).
In November 2022, he was sentenced to two years of imprisonment and a fine of 640 roubles (more than 1,800 euros). Uladzimir served his sentence and was released at the end of January 2023.
Later it became known that Uladzimir was detained again in May 2023. Then he was convicted under Article 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities) and Article 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting Lukashenka). On December 22, 2023, the judge of the Tsentraĺny District Court of Minsk, Dzmitry Karsiuk, sentenced him to another year of imprisonment. Uladzimir served time in penal colony No. 11. It is known that the political prisoner was regularly placed in a punitive isolation cell (SHIZO).
Political prisoner Uladzimir Bulauski — more than one year and ten months of imprisonment
On May 26, 2023, the Peršamajski District Court of Viciebsk sentenced the political prisoner, an art manager and a musician, to two years in a general security penal colony. He was charged under Article 342-2 of the Criminal Code — repeated violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events. The case was handled by Judge Mikhail Yurchanka.
At the trial, Uladzimir pleaded not guilty and testified in Belarusian. In early November, Uladzimir was released from penal colony No. 2.
Political prisoner Aliaksandr Tsialeha — more than three years and six months of imprisonment
On January 21, 2022, the Leninski District Court of Hrodna sentenced Aliaksandr to four years in a penal colony for comments on the Internet. It became known at the trial that one of the victims in the case had beaten Tsialeha during his arrest. On November 1, 2022, a new trial began over the political prisoner in the Pukhavičy District Court again for comments. As a result, the court sentenced him to one year of imprisonment, but by absorbing a more severe punishment with a less severe one, the term was left the same.
In April, Aliaksandr's punishment was increased and he was transferred to a prison security level in Mahilioŭ. In mid-November, the political prisoner was released after his term ended.
Two waves of pardons
In total, 63 people were released on pardon in November. Most of the political prisoners were sentenced to short terms in 2024.
Thus, Aliautsina Hudkova was sentenced under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code to one year of imprisonment for a protest action that took place on the evening of August 10, 2020, in Brest. In early October, the appeal of the political prisoner was heard. Soon she was transferred to penal colony No. 4 in Homeĺ.
On June 20, 2024, local resident Andrei Karaliou was convicted in the Chocimsk District Court. He was accused of "slandering Lukashenka" under Part 1 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code. The case was heard by Judge Alesia Parfionenka. The court sentenced Andrei to two years of general security imprisonment.
Iryna Skrob was sentenced by the Minsk City Court in August 2023 under Part 1 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (assistance to extremist activities) to two years and six months of imprisonment.
Political prisoner Natallia Stsiopina was convicted in June 2024. She was found guilty under Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code (slander against Lukashenka). The court sentenced Natallia to two years in a general security penal colony.
