Human rights groups label 13 political prisoners

February 23, BPN. Belarusian human rights organizations have declared 13 people political prisoners, the Viasna Human Rights Center said on its website on February 23.

They are: Viktar Savaševič, Alaksandr Sazonaŭ, Jaŭhien Vasileŭski, Mikita Karpienka, Maksim Jarašenka, Kanstancin Chanin, Andrej Bykaŭ, Śviatłana Byčkoŭskaja, Andrej Ruskich, Dźmitryj Łahucienka, Vasil Jermakoŭ, Pavieł Rakoca and Andrej Šklar.

Their charges ranged from incitement to hatred and illegal handling of personal data to insults against public officials and high treason.

“Analysing all these instances of criminal prosecution, we come to a conclusion that every instance had a political motive to prosecute the defendants. Court and procedural decisions were politically motivated, in violation of fundamental principles of fair justice and procedural safeguards,” the declaration reads.

It was signed by Viasna, Pravavaja Inicyjatyva, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Belarusian PEN and Barys Zvozskaŭ Human Rights House.

The organizations demanded that these and other politcal prisoners should be freed.

A total of 1,450 political prisoners have been registered in Belarus. The real figure must be even higher because, according to activists, some political detainees cannot contact them, or do not want to for fear of repercussions.