UN experts have issued a statement expressing concern over the treatment of political prisoners and the denial of medical care to them.
“We are deeply alarmed by persistent reports of prolonged solitary confinement, incommunicado detention, denial of family contact, and severe restrictions imposed on detainees designated as ‘extremists’ or ‘terrorists’,” the statement says.
The UN experts said they had received information indicating that the health of several political prisoners had significantly deteriorated and that some of them could face irreversible health consequences if they do not receive medical assistance.
“Such conditions may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and, in certain cases, may constitute torture,” the experts said. They also noted that prolonged incommunicado detention may amount to enforced disappearance.
The experts drew attention to the cases of Aliaksandra Pulinovich, who was detained at the age of 16 in the so-called Black Nightingales case, Volha Mayorava, Yahor Volkau, Stsiapan Latypau and Viachaslau Areshka.
“We urge Belarusian authorities to ensure immediate access to independent medical care and to consider humanitarian release or non-custodial measures for detainees whose health conditions place their lives and physical integrity at risk,” the statement says.
The statement also expresses concern over the criminal prosecution of Siarhei Salash. According to the experts, his prosecution was accompanied by procedural violations and raises concerns about the criminalisation of independent expression and the right to association in the cultural sphere under excessively broad “extremism” legislation.
The UN experts reiterated their previous concerns regarding the use of Article 411 of the Criminal Code, which allows prison terms to be extended for “for alleged “malicious disobedience” to prison administration”. They also expressed concern about the use of “extremism” and “terrorism” charges to prosecute peaceful expression of opinions, civic activism and cultural activities.
The experts have sent the relevant communications to the Belarusian government.
