Western politicians grieve at Aleś Puškin’s death

July 12, BPN. Western politicians and diplomats have taken to Twitter to express their condolences at the death of jailed Belarusian artist Aleś Puškin

The US embassy in Minsk described him as yet another political prisoner of the regime to lose his life in “appalling conditions,” adding that it “every day robs Belarus of so much potential and vitality.”

Council of Europe Secretary-General Marija Pejčinović Burić said she was “devastated” by the news. “My CoE thoughts are with his family and friends,” she said.

German MP Robin Wagener, Alliance 90/The Greens, offered his deepest condolences to Puškin’s loved ones. “We cannot ignore the atrocities of the Belarusian regime. We will not give up until the last one of all political prisoners is released,” he said.

“Another political prisoner died in Belarus: Aleś Puškin was an artist charged for the ‘crime’ of painting an anti-Soviet resistance fighter. Our thoughts are with his family,” said Matthias Lüttenberg, a senior diplomat at the German Federal Foreign Office. “There are more than 1,500 political prisoners in Belarus. All of them should be free,” he added.

The prominent dissident artist died in the early hours of July 11 at the age of 57 at an intense care unit in Belarus “under unclear circumstances,” according to his wife Janina Dziemuch.

He was serving a five-year sentence for insulting state symbols and inciting hatred, after investigators seized his painting of Jaŭhien Žychar, a commander of an anti-Soviet resistance group in the 1940-50s, and nationally-styled items.

Human rights activists said the charges were politically motivated.