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.