March 9, Pozirk. A group of UN experts demanded from Minsk information about the whereabouts of jailed former presidential hopeful Siarhiej Cichanoŭski on the second anniversary of his incommunicado detention, which they described as “enforced disappearance.”
“We are deeply concerned over the continued incommunicado detention and ill-treatment of women and men political prisoners,” they said. “Belarus must end the use of enforced disappearance against political opponents and civic activists.”
Cichanoŭski, along with several other prominent regime critics, faces prolonged solitary confinement, is denied communication with his family and lawyers and is deprived of basic medical care, which may amount to torture, the statement stressed.
“The enforced disappearance of Mr. Cichanoŭski and others is a blatant violation of international law. These actions seek to silence political opposition and instill fear,” the experts noted, calling on Minsk to end the practice of incommunicado detentions, release all arbitrarily arrested, allow independent monitoring of prisons and stop persecuting political opponents on terrorism- and extremism-related charges.
Police arrested presidential hopeful Siarhiej Cichanoŭski weeks before the 2020 election. In late 2021, he was given 18 years in prison on several criminal charges, including organizing mass riots, inciting hatred and interfering in elections. Two years later, authorities added 18 months to his term for alleged misbehavior. Rights groups consider his persecution to be politically motivated.
Cichanoŭski has been held incommunicado since early March 2023.
Several other prominent jailed opposition activists and politicians are also held in similar conditions, including former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka, lawyer Maksim Znak and politician Mikałaj Statkievič.
