Not Forgotten: Political Imprisonment and Incommunicado Detention in Belarus
A political prisoner’s worst fear is to be forgotten. The thought of being abandoned by the international community, left to endure an unfair sentence without recognition or support, can be more painful than the physical conditions of confinement.
In Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s Belarus, the challenge of remembering and advocating for political prisoners is particularly acute. Nearly four years after a fraudulent election and the brutal crackdown on those peacefully protesting the outcome, the Lukashenka regime continues its relentless repression of innocent Belarusians. Since summer 2020, close to 3,150 people were recognized as political prisoners and nearly 1,400 people are currently behind bars, including journalists, human rights defenders, opposition politicians, peaceful protesters, and many others.
Please join Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Freedom House for a virtual, on-the-record discussion about the crisis of political imprisonment and incommunicado detention in Belarus.