{"id":11561,"date":"2023-04-28T14:16:43","date_gmt":"2023-04-28T11:16:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/babarykas-hospitalization-sharpens-debate-on-political-prisoners\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"babarykas-hospitalization-sharpens-debate-on-political-prisoners","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11561\/","title":{"rendered":"Babaryka\u2019s hospitalization sharpens debate on political prisoners"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n Opponents are split over a tactic to secure the release of thousands of Belarus\u2019 political prisoners. The debate has escalated following the hospitalization of Viktar Babaryka, a former presidential hopeful and outspoken critic of the regime.<\/span><\/b>\n<\/p>\n

Sanctions have limited impact<\/h2>\n

\n\t Rabo\u010dy Ruch, a worker rights group, reported on April 26 that Babaryka was taken to hospital with signs of beating.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The opposition’s cabinet reacted immediately by calling on the international community to “fully use the instrument of sanctions pressure on [Belarusian ruler Alaksandr] \u0141uka\u0161enka’s regime.”\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Paviel \u0141atu\u0161ka, of the United Transitional Cabinet, and other proponents of tough measures hope that the regime will eventually cave in.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t However, \u0141uka\u0161enka has not yet made any concessions. The Belarusian leader, in his annual address last month, dismissed any suggestion that he could free an imprisoned Polish minority activist in return for Warsaw lifting restrictions on traffic across the shared border.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Besides, there are signs that the European Union (EU) is nearing the upper limit of what is realistically possible to achieve by sanctions. After all, restrictions also affect businesses and ordinary people in the West.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Moreover, there are fears that tough measures may force \u0141uka\u0161enka to cede the remaining elements of independence to Russia.\n<\/p>\n

Two-track policy<\/h2>\n

\n\t An association of former political prisoners and relatives of activists held in prisons advocates a flexible approach. Amid concerns about Babaryka\u2019s health, it called for drafting \u201ca strategy and tactic of actions that will improve conditions for prisoners in the first place, and eventually secure\u201d their release.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The opposition Coordination Council has set up a working group to organize a public debate on what can be done with regard to political prisoners, its speaker, Andrej Jahora\u016d, told The Viewer<\/span>.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t He suggested separating the humanitarian track from the opposition\u2019s strategy of fighting against the regime for democracy in Belarus. \u201cStrategic things should not stand on the way of initiatives that practically work today toward securing the release of political prisoners and improving prison conditions,\u201d he argued.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The pro-democracy forces and the West cannot reach a deal with the regime to exchange all prisoners for lifting sanctions, he said and called for negotiations on \u201cspecific persons and groups\u201d of prisoners.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Coordination Council plans to launch a public discussion of the matter next month, he said.\n<\/p>\n

Karbalevi\u010d: opposition leaders have little say<\/h2>\n

\n\t Valery Karbalevi\u010d, a prominent Belarusian political analyst, is skeptical about the opposition\u2019s role.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t In an interview with T<\/span>he Viewer<\/span>, he pointed out that Belarus\u2019 pro-democracy forces have little say on sanctions and the agenda of possible negotiations on political prisoners.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Western countries that imposed the sanctions are primarily focused on helping Ukraine to fight off the Russian invasion, he stressed.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka may consider concessions and negotiations with the West, including on political prisoners, only if international sanctions and war considerably weaken Russia, he added.\n<\/p>\n

Every saved prisoner is a victory<\/h2>\n

\n\t Success of efforts to free Belarus\u2019 political prisoners depends on the global agenda, the outcome of Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine and the standoff between the Kremlin, Minsk and the democratic community.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka will lean on Moscow as long as possible, expecting it to offset the damage caused by Western sanctions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t He refuses to enter into talks with the opposition. He could negotiate with the West, which has its hands full in Ukraine and no longer sees Belarus a priority.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Western politicians refuse to deal with \u0141uka\u0161enka because they consider him to be the Kremlin\u2019s puppet. If he showed a degree of independence from Moscow, the West might be interested, but this is unrealistic at the moment. Quite the opposite, he is determined to bring Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Foreign-based opposition groups do not have effective tools to influence the situation of political prisoners. They can raise the issue in the West and encourage it to take a more flexible approach to address specific cases, for instance of prisoners with serious diseases or children.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Politicians who reject any dealings with the regime until its defeat are trying to claim a high moral ground, but their arguments are not very persuasive.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t It may take long to overthrow the regime, while inmates are suffering under terrible conditions. Every saved prisoner is a victory.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t As for Babaryka, the chances for his release are close to zero. \u0141uka\u0161enka is not apt to forgive. He is looking for revenge after Babaryka\u2019s presidential bid created preconditions for mass protests.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN Opponents are split over a tactic to secure the release of thousands of Belarus\u2019 political prisoners. The debate has escalated following the hospitalization of Viktar Babaryka, a former presidential hopeful and outspoken critic of the regime. Sanctions have limited impact Rabo\u010dy Ruch, a worker rights group, reported on April 26 that Babaryka […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[24],"class_list":["post-11561","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBabaryka\u2019s hospitalization sharpens debate on political prisoners | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN Opponents are split over a tactic to secure the release of thousands of Belarus\u2019 political prisoners. 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