{"id":141908,"date":"2025-06-09T12:26:55","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T09:26:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/141908\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"rights-defenders-pay-tribute-to-dissident-asurak-on-scheduled-release-date","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/141908\/","title":{"rendered":"Rights defenders pay tribute to dissident A\u0161urak on scheduled release date"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \"\"\n
\n
\n\n A\u0161urak's image at a solidarity event in Vilnius on May 21, 2024\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

June 9, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>Opposition activist Vitold A\u0161urak, who died under unclear circumstances behind bars four years ago, would be released on June 9, the Viasna Human Rights Center said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\u0161urak was arrested in August 2020, following the disputed presidential election and sentenced to several short jail terms before being charged in a criminal case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In early 2021, judge Maksim Fi\u0142ata\u016d in Lida, Hrodna region, sentenced him to five years in prison on protest-related charges. Rights groups considered A\u0161urak\u2019s persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The investigation into his death was stalled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rights groups and pro-democracy leaders declared the day of his death, May 21, International Day of Solidarity with Belarusian Political Prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides A\u0161urak, several other designated political prisoners died in recent years behind bars, including Mika\u0142aj Klimovi\u010d, Ale\u015b Pu\u0161kin, Vadzim Chra\u015bko, Ihar Lednik, Alaksandar Kulini\u010d and Dmitry Shletgauer. The most recent reported case is the death of Valancin \u0160termier in early 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On June 9, human rights defenders identified at least 1,188 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also read: On Solidarity Day, Article 19 demands release of Belarusian political prisoners<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

June 9, Pozirk. Opposition activist Vitold A\u0161urak, who died under unclear circumstances behind bars four years ago, would be released on June 9, the Viasna Human Rights Center said. A\u0161urak was arrested in August 2020, following the disputed presidential election and sentenced to several short jail terms before being charged in a criminal case. In […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":86438,"template":"","rubric":[16],"class_list":["post-141908","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-politics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRights defenders pay tribute to dissident A\u0161urak on scheduled release date | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"June 9, Pozirk. Opposition activist Vitold A\u0161urak, who died under unclear circumstances behind bars four years ago, would be released on June 9, the\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/141908\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rights defenders pay tribute to dissident A\u0161urak on scheduled release date | Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"June 9, Pozirk. 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