Lukashenka released 4 political prisoners: more than 20 remain in jail
On 2 September Aliaksandr Lukashenka granted parole to
four participants of the peaceful protest action against the rigged
presidential election held on 19 December 2010.
Aleh Hnedchyk, Ales Kirkevich, Andrei Pratasenia and Zmitser Daronin were
released as a result. All of them are less than 30 years old and are not
prominent political or public activists. Recently Lukashenka has also granted
parole to nine other people.
At the same time, three candidates for the presidential position are still kept
in prison: Andrei Sannikau, Mikalai Statkevich (it's his second politically
motivated conviction) and Zmitser Uss. Two more candidates received criminal
punishment: Uladzimir Niakliayeu (severely beaten by unknown persons on the
Election Day) was sentenced to two years of imprisonment with two-year
determent, Vital Rymasheuski – to two years of conditional imprisonment.
Rymasheuski's electioneering agent, co-Chair of the organizing committee of the
Belarusian Christian Democracy Pavel Seviarynets, was sentenced to three years
of personal restraint (the second politically motivated conviction). Well-known
journalist Iryna Khalip, Andrei Sannikau's wife, was sentenced to two years of
jail with two-year determent as well. Her colleague Natallia Radzina escaped
from Belarus after being released from the KGB jail under a written
recognizance not to leave and asked for political asylum in Lithuania. One more
presidential candidate, Ales Mikhalevich, fled as well and asked for political
asylum in the Czech Republic.
Another active opponent of Lukashenka's regime, Chair of the Young Front Zmitser
Dashkevich, was detained before the Election Day together with his friend
Eduard Lobau. A criminal case for beating a passer-by was fabricated against
them. As a result, Dashkevich was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment, Lobau –
to 4 years. According to our information, Dashkevich and other prisoners were
repeatedly subject to humiliating and degrading treatment, some of which can be
qualified as torture.
Searches in the apartments of civil and political activists continue on a
regular basis. People are also summonsed for “talks” to the KGB.
Last but not least, well-known human rights defender, Chair of the Human Rights
Center Viasna and vice-Chair of the International Federation for Human
Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiatski was arrested and put in custody. A criminal case
was brought against him under Article 243, part 2 of the Criminal Code of the
Republic of Belarus, “concealment of profits on an especially large scale”.
Being an unregistered organization, Viasna couldn't hold any bank
accounts in Belarus. As a result, Ales had to open bank accounts in Lithuania
and Poland. He knew that the Lithuanian and the Polish authorities passed to
the Belarusian authorities information about these bank accounts and that a
criminal case was brought against him. However, he decided to stay in Belarus
despite the danger of imprisonment.
According to information of the Bulgarian authorities, Lukashenka promises to
release all political prisoners by the middle of October, but there is still
much doubt about it given the number of the people who are still kept in jail
for nothing.