English

Amnesty International renews call for release of Belarusian political prisoners

Amnesty International has renewed its call for the unconditional release of Belarusian political prisoners Mikalay Statkevich, Paval Sevyarynets, Eduard Lobaw and Zmitser Dashkevich.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the second anniversary of the violent dispersal of a post-election street protest in Minsk on December 19, 2010, the human rights watchdog recalls that more than 700 people, mostly peaceful demonstrators and bystanders, were arrested during the crackdown.

While most of them were sentenced to 10 to 15 days in jail, "six of the seven opposition presidential candidates, many leading journalists and opposition activists were charged with criminal offences including 'organizing mass disorder' and 'grossly violating public order' and were sentenced to prison terms of up to six years," the statement says.

"Two years on and six people remain in prisons and labour colonies for their connection to these events, others are still serving suspended sentences and live under constant surveillance and travel restrictions, and some are now in exile," Amnesty International says.

The organization refers to former presidential candidate and political prisoner Andrey Sannikaw, who had to endure "extreme conditions" during his imprisonment. In particular, the opposition politician was held in solitary confinement with round-the-clock video surveillance. He was also repeatedly placed into disciplinary cells, where "in one case the temperature never rose about 8 degrees centigrade and his warm clothing was deliberately removed."

Amnesty International also says that political prisoners have been subjected to pressure through frequent transfers from one correctional facility to another.

The organization calls on the Belarusian government to amend the Criminal Code to include the crime of torture, and to establish independent monitoring of places of detention.

In addition, the organization calls for all restrictions against those sentenced for exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly to be lifted. //BelaPAN