Human rights defenders add eight to political prisoners’ list

December 22, BPN. Human rights defenders have added eight more people to the political prisoners’ list, taking their total to 1,443, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

New additions include Artur Piadźko, currently behind bars for sharing information with opposition Telegram channels, Rusłan Sinkievič (four years in prison on charges of extremism and participating in protests), Dźmitryj Miadźviedzki (three years; sabotage on the railway), Juryj Trapačoŭ (three years; extremism, inciting hatred, participating in protests).

Human rights defenders also added Siarhiej Rabcaŭ (six and a half years in prison), Siarhiej Nialepka (nine years), Alaksandr Durajeŭ (three years), and Uładzisłaŭ Savin (eight years). The charges against them ranged from insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka and inciting hatred to participating in protests and illegal actions with firearms.

Pravavaja Inicyjatyva, Lawtrend, Belarusian PEN, the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Barys Zvozskaŭ Human Rights House aligned themselves with Viasna’s statement and called for an immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to the political crackdown in Belarus.