Political prisoner Kučynski’s health deteriorates, UN experts are told

March 19, Pozirk. The health of Pavieł Kučynski, a Belarusian political prisoner suffering from cancer, is deteriorating, the Viasna Human Rights Center told UN special rapporteurs in an address.

The man was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma in March 2021, but is said to have complained of symptoms since the fall of 2020.

Kučynski was arrested on January 26, 2022. Although medical documents confirmed that he needed treatment, examinations and special conditions, the man remained in custody.

In June 2022, the Vilejka District Court, Minsk region, sentenced him to five years in prison, finding him guilty of threatening and insulting officials, including the head of state.

The charges were based on online comments.

After considering his appeal, the Minsk Regional Court reduced the sentence by three months but imposed a fine of 3,840 rubels (some $1,200).

A month after the verdict, Kučynski was reclassified from Group I, the most serious disability category requiring constant medical care, to Group II.

Authorities sent him to a prison hospital in Kaladzičy, Minsk region, for examination. According to human rights activists, prisoners were held there in ordinary cells equipped for medical purposes.

According to the available information, chemotherapy is not helping Kučynski and the disease is progressing.

The man consulted doctors about bone marrow transplantation, but he could not receive it, partly because of the detention conditions.

Viasna’s lawyers noted that the court’s decision to deprive Kučynski of his freedom threatened his life: “From the outset of his detention, all attempts by the lawyer and relatives to prove the groundlessness of the detention have been unsuccessful.”

Even perfectly healthy people face health problems after spending a long time in prison, Viasna said.

“For example, former political prisoners say that after some time their teeth were spoiled by the aluminum mugs for inmates.

“For this reason, people with serious health problems face critical, even life-threatening deterioration of their health in captivity.”

The human rights group urged the UN experts to “begin communication” with the Belarusian authorities so that Kučynski could have access to “adequate medical care.”

According to human rights organizations, there are currently 1,406 political prisoners in Belarus. However, the actual number of repression victims is estimated to be much higher.