UN experts urge release of political detainees with disabilities in Belarus News
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UN experts urge release of political detainees with disabilities in Belarus

A group of independent human rights experts on Monday urged the release of political detainees with disabilities and serious health conditions in Belarus, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reported.

The group of experts said the Belarusian government should consider the immediate release or non-custodial sanctions for persons with disabilities detained in the context of the 2020 presidential elections for charges of civil disobedience. The experts said: “If these persons remain in detention under the current conditions, we have reason to fear that their health will suffer irreparable and permanent harm.” Reports showed evidence that these individuals are not receiving proper medical care and are deliberately mistreated for their links with the 2020 elections.

As shared by Belarusian human rights organization Viasna, there are currently at least 219 high-risk political prisoners in Belarus, of whom 78 suffer from chronic and grave acute diseases. The group of experts specifically highlighted the cases of two men with disabilities detained in 2021. One, Andrei Navitski, was convicted of violating public order and insulting the president while participating in a peaceful assembly. The other, Dzianis Salmanovich, was charged with terrorism for producing films for the Cyber Partisans civil initiative. In a letter to the Belarusian authorities, the experts raised serious concerns for these individuals.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which was ratified by Belarus in 2016, aims to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Moreover, the rights of these detained individuals are ensured under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment under Article 7.

Viasna recorded a total of 6,830 convictions in political cases since the 2020 elections. In February, a UN group of independent experts claimed that the government of President Aleksandr Lukashenko has committed several human rights violations that may amount to crimes against humanity to suppress any opposition. A total of 33 individuals have also been sentenced to compulsory psychiatric treatment, which has been a point of serious concern by human rights experts. The latest presidential elections were held on January 26, 2025, as Lukashenko remains in power.

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