Tallinn, Estonia (AP) – Score Political prisoners forgive Belarusian authoritarian leaders were minutes from freedom, sitting on a bus waiting to cross the border with Lithuania last month. Suddenly one of them rose to his feet, opened the door and went down, rebelliously refusing to leave his hometown. Forced deportation.
Mikalai Statkevich has not been seen since that incident on September 11th. Human rights activists are demanding that Belarusian authorities reveal what happened to the 69-year-old opposition politician and the former presidential candidate.
Statkevich was one of 52 political prisoners who were forgiven by the president Alexander Lukashenko As part of a US-brokered transaction.
A fellow political prisoner Maxim Vinirsky, who was traveling with him by bus, told The Associated Press that “Statkevich seemed determined – ready to fight for the freedoms of not only himself, but all Belarusians.”
When the debilitated Statkevich was bolted off the bus, he left much needed heart medicine on the bus, continuing to Lithuania.
“Statkevich confused Lukashenko’s script and proved even sick… You can still resist dictatorship and lawlessness,” Viniarski said. “He clearly understood the price he chose. He said, “I will not allow myself to be sold or anyone to decide where I live or where I will die.” ”
I saw security forces take him away.
For a few hours, Statkevich stayed at No-Man’s Land in Kamenny Loh Border Crossing until surveillance cameras recorded six masked security forces escorting him back to Belarus.
Lukashenko later said that Statkevich returned to Belarus – “He is our citizen after all” – but he does not elaborate.
Statkevich’s actions reflected them Maria Kolesnikova, Leader of a massive demonstration after competing in the 2020 election that brought Lukashenko to power. She tore her passport at the border and became a symbol of resistance when she returned to Belarus when authorities tried to expel her that year. In 2021, she was convicted of charges that included “conspiracy to rob power” and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
After the loss of Statkevich, his wife Maryna Adamovich returned to Belarus from an overseas trip to visit the prison colony of Hlybokaye, where she had been detained, but authorities refused to confirm whether he was there or not. She has not received any response from authorities regarding his condition and location.
“The abuse continues. It was a pointless job to deport Mikarai, who was given his character,” she said.
Adamovic feared his health, and although Statkevich suffered a heart attack in prison, he said, “No illness or years of solitary confinement had broken his will.”
Protest his attempt to deport
Pavel Sapelka of Viasna Human Rights Group said it is unclear whether authorities filed new charges against Statkevich to detain him despite his forgiveness by Lukashenko.
UN experts protested that they had explained they had attempted to deport Statkevich and requested information about his whereabouts.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, experts said “There is solid reason to believe that Statkevich is a victim of forced loss and arbitrary detention.” “We ask Belarus to provide information about his fate, where he is and his health.”
Lukashenko’s decision to forgive 52 prisoners sparked speculation about the possibility of merging relations, following a call with US President Donald Trump in August. The release was part of a US intermediary agreement that eased sanctions on the Bellavian National Airlines, including resuming parts supply and aircraft services.
A political prisoner’s transaction like a commodity.”
“Lukashenko trades political prisoners like commodities, releases some, and incarcerates other activists there.” Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya I told the AP. “I respect Statkevich’s principled decision and choice to stay in the country, but this underscores the issue. The political prisoners of Belarus have not been released, but have been forcibly deported to another country against their will.”
Lukashenko, known as “the last dictator of Europe,” has He ruled Belarus for over 30 yearsmaintaining power through elections that were rejected by the West as neither a Western objection nor a fair and violent crackdown. Following the 2020 protests that took hundreds of thousands to the streets, more than 65,000 people were arrested, thousands were beaten, hundreds of independent media and non-governmental organizations were shut down and banned.
According to Viasna, around 1,200 political prisoners are in detention, including founder Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski. Activists say they were kept in a tough situation and often denied medical, legal representatives and family contact.
Belarus has been repeatedly approved by Western countries to human rights violations and enable Russia to use its territory to invade Ukraine in 2022.
Statkevich was arrested before the 2020 election, convicted of organizing massive unrest and sentenced to 14 years in prison. In 2022, authorities named him an “extremist.” This is a term used against government critics. Since February 9, 2023, he has been completely isolated without contact with the outside world.
During decades of political activity, Statkevich was jailed three times and spent more than 12 years behind bars. Amnesty International has recognized him as a prisoner of conscience three times.
Statkevich is the country’s longest opposition politician and founder of the Hramada Party, a Social Democrat in Belarus, which is affiliated with the socialist international.
Early in his life, Statkevich pursued a military career and was involved in the formation of the Belarusian army after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 1999 he helped organize a “freedom march” for Mass against the proposed Union with Russia by Belarus. He was sentenced to a limited freedom sentence of three years as Lukashenko allowed him to seek another term of office to organize another opposition gathering to protest the outcome of the 2004 parliamentary elections and referendum.
In the 2010 presidential election, he ran to Lukashenko and then spent nearly five years in prison. He was awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for freedom of thinking by Belarus’ opposition leaders.
“Statkevich exemplifies the resilience and courage of politicians who were forced to work under a dictatorship,” Viniarski said. “Statkevich has reiterated that our value is worth what we are willing to pay them.”
