Propagandist Claims 196 “Ghost Prisoners” Are Listed as Political Prisoners

Propagandist Ihar Tur said on the ONT television channel that 196 people included on the list of political prisoners maintained by human rights defenders are in fact free.

He named several of them, including Alena Rybak, Uladzislau Fedarovich, Vadzim Saskavets and Aliaksandr Pimashenka. According to Tur, some of the 196 were released after trial, while others were freed through pardons, amnesties or after completing their sentences.

Videos were recorded with some of the people from the political prisoners list who are now at liberty.

Notably, the propagandist himself explained why human rights defenders’ lists may be inaccurate: former political prisoners are afraid to contact human rights organisations to inform them of their release because they could then be accused of cooperating with “extremists”.

According to the Viasna Human Rights Centre, as of June 12, 868 people in Belarus were recognised as political prisoners. Since 2020, a total of 4,655 people have been recognised as political prisoners.