Rights groups declare former local deputy, seven others political prisoners

March 5, Pozirk. Belarusian human rights organizations have declared eight people political prisoners, bringing the total to 1,412, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported yesterday.

They granted this status to:

Alaksandar Sysojeŭ, sentenced to an unknown period in prison under Article 361-3 of the Criminal Code (participation in an armed formation, armed conflict or military action in the territory of a foreign state; recruitment or preparation of persons for such participation);

Andrej Burak, sentenced to prison under Article 361-1 Part 3 (creation of or participation in an extremist formation);

Dźmitryj Papkoŭ, Ihar Čarnavusaŭ, and Uładzimir Kamiennaŭ, taken into custody under arts 361-1, 361-4 (supporting extremist activities) and 368 (insulting the head of state);

Dzijana Zavadskaja, taken into custody under arts 361-3 and 342 (organization and preparation of actions grossly violating public order or active participation in such actions);

Vital Krasnoŭ, taken into custody under arts 361-3 and 361-2 (financing extremist activities);

Andrej Bremšmidt, taken into custody under Article 290-1 (financing terrorist activities) and Article 361-2.

The political prisoners faced the criminal charges mainly for donating to banned organizations.

Bremšmidt is a former deputy of the local council in Zasłaŭje, Minsk district. He was an election commission member during the parliamentary elections in 2019.

Human rights defenders demand that Belarusian authorities immediately free all political prisoners.

A statement to this effect was signed by Viasna, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Belarusian PEN, the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, and Pravavaja Inicyjatyva.