Number of political prisoners close to 700


On Monday, Belarusian human rights activists have recognised another two persons as political prisoners on the back of their ‘pre-trial detention, indictment and sentencing’, HRC Viasna reports.

Mikita Zimin, Dzyanis Lazouski, Aleh Buykevich, Aleh Khichou and Yauhen Krachkouski were accused under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code (‘group actions grossly violating public order’); Syarhei Dumava was charged under Article 293 (‘hooliganism’), Part 1 of Art. 13 (‘cumulation of criminal violations’), and Art. 341 (‘desecration of buildings and property damage’).

After evaluating the above mentioned persons’ cases, seven human rights watchdogs concluded that each of them had a political motive for prosecution as it is related solely to their exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression; for this reason they have been listed as political prisoners.

They Belarusian human rights community has called on the authorities to immediately release Zimin, Lazouski, Buykevich, Khichou, Krachkouski, Dumava as well as other political prisoners; end criminal prosecution against them; stop political repression.

To date, there are 691 names on the list of Belarusian political prisoners.

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belsat.eu, following spring96.org

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