A 22-year-old political prisoner serving a 12-year prison sentence for “espionage” and “aiding extremist activities,” has died in custody, Human Rights Center Viasna reported on Nov. 1.
Russian-born political prisoner Dmitry Shletgauer is the seventh of the jailed opponents of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s to die in prison following the crackdown on Belarusian civil society that started after mass protests in 2020. Following fraudulent presidential elections and nationwide demonstrations, over 6,000 Belarusians underwent criminal persecution, and some 1,300 individuals are currently held behind bars on politically motivated charges.
Shletgauer’s 12-year sentence for alleged espionage and facilitation of extremist activities was handed down after a closed trial this year. The evidence in the case remains unknown to human rights defenders.
Shletgauer was found dead on Oct. 11, a month after his transfer to Mahiliou penal colony No. 15, where he was supposed to serve his term, Viasna reports. The authorities have not disclosed the cause of his death. Shletgauer’s family confirmed his death to the independent news outlet Zerkalo, without providing further details.
Political prisoners in Belarus are held in harsh conditions: They are deprived of medical care, and subjected to arbitrary punishments and debilitating forced labor in penal colonies. Activist Vitold Ashurak, prominent artist Ales Pushkin, blogger Mikalai Klimovic, and activists Ihar Lednik, Vadzim Khrasko, and Aliaksandr Kulinich are known to have died while in custody.
Belarusian oppositions have compiled a “humanitarian” list of around 200 political prisoners who have severe medical conditions and who might not survive their time in prison.
However, Belarusian authorities have paid little attention to the opposition’s humanitarian list when releasing political prisoners – most of the 115 individuals released in four recent rounds of pardons were not on it.
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Publish date : 2024-11-08 11:27:00
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