UN rights experts urge Minsk to pardon jailed opposition politician with cancer
February 27, Pozirk. The United Nations human rights experts have called on the Belarusian government to grant veteran opposition politician Ryhor Kastusioŭ a pardon or remission of sentence, or replace his imprisonment with an alternative form of deprivation of liberty.
Kastusioŭ, 66, leader of the outlawed Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), was diagnosed with cancer. He is serving a 10-year prison term after being found guilty of conspiracy to seize power in connection with a Zoom call, in which he said he took part as a listener.
The UN experts have expressed their concern at his reported critical condition and ill-treatment.
“Failure to provide adequate medical treatment and care to detainees in critical condition violates Belarus’ obligation under international human rights law to treat persons deprived of liberty with humanity and respect for their inherent dignity,” their statement said. “It may even amount to torture.”
Despite his deteriorating health, the penal colony administration held Kastusioŭ in punishment cells and the colony’s internal prison. The politician could not challenge these decisions due to a “lack of adequate legal safeguards,” the statement noted.
In mid-January, authorities transferred Kastusioŭ to a Hrodna prison where he is held in a single cell. The politician’s family members said he complained of deteriorating health.
The prison administration deprived him of visits and confiscated his personal records and correspondence contacts.
Human rights defenders consider Kastusioŭ a political prisoner.
BPF leader’s relatives say sentence too harsh
- SecurityAt least 20 servicemen in detention – rights activistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFive pardoned prisoners namedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsJournalist Ihar Iljaš declared political prisonerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka defends propaganda, threatens information warfareThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition leader visiting Canada, to address NATO PAThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsŁukašenka boasts that he personally authorizes internet shutdownsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Elections, Politics
- PoliticsUS think tank: Russia to control Tor-M2 missile systems in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, PoliticsŁukašenka’s supporter says he collected 100,000 ballot-access signatures for presidential raceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: exiled former Kanapackaja’s associate given prison termThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyPublic sector employees to take on their laid-off colleagues' responsibilities for extra payThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEconomist plays down fears of rubel collapseThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka goes to Pakistan next weekThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, Politics, Security
- Economy, PoliticsPolish trade unionists protest against fertilizer imports from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SocietyInformation minister concerned about influx of subversive books from RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security
- PoliticsHrodna court sentences exiled activist to six years in prisonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsViasna: new political prisoners outnumber those pardonedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, PoliticsOfficial: 1.5 million ballot-access signatures collected for Łukašenka in two weeksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsExiled soccer executive among those stripped of rankThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, Politics, SecurityKGB holding counterterrorism drill in city near PolandThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityKGB accuses Warsaw of training terrorists for Belarus missionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SocietyReprisals: Minsk arrests two Belarusians who fought Russia in UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFormer Kalinoŭski fighter Ralko held in detention in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+