UN experts urge release of political detainees with disabilities in Belarus
A group of independent human rights experts has called on Belarus to release political detainees with disabilities and severe health conditions, highlighting the risk of permanent harm due to inadequate medical care.
In a statement released by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), the experts urged the Belarusian government to consider non-custodial sanctions for those imprisoned for civil disobedience during the 2020 presidential elections. The experts expressed concern that detainees, including those with disabilities, are being subjected to mistreatment and denied necessary medical attention.
Among the cases highlighted were two men detained in 2021: Andrei Navitski, convicted for participating in a peaceful protest, and Dzianis Salmanovich, charged with terrorism for his involvement with the Cyber Partisans initiative. Both men suffer from serious health conditions, with the experts warning that continued detention under current conditions could cause irreparable damage to their health.
According to Belarusian human rights group Viasna, there are at least 219 political prisoners in the country, 78 of whom suffer from chronic illnesses or severe conditions. Since the 2020 elections, Viasna has recorded 6,830 political convictions, and 33 individuals have been sentenced to compulsory psychiatric treatment, raising further concerns.
The UN experts emphasized that Belarus is bound by international conventions, such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protect individuals from inhuman or degrading treatment.
The experts’ statement adds to ongoing concerns over the human rights situation in Belarus, where President Aleksandr Lukashenko remains in power following the controversial January 2025 elections.
