August 23, Pozirk. Pavieł Kučynski, who was serving a lengthy prison term in a politically-motivated case, has been released, rights defender Alaksandar Kapucki has said on Facebook.
The 29-year-old diagnosed with an advanced stage of Hodgkin lymphoma three years ago was reportedly brought to the city hospital in his native Maładziečna, Minsk region, in a serious condition with pneumonia.
In June 2022, the man was given five years in prison on charges of threatening and insulting officials and Alaksandar Łukašenka in connection with critical online comments. The appeal court reduced the sentence only by three months.
Kučynski may need a bone marrow transplant, which was impossible in prison, doctors said earlier.
In March, the Viasna Human Rights Center issued an appeal to the United Nations special rapporteurs regarding Kučynski’s deteriorating health.
On August 16, Łukašenka signed an edict pardoning 14 women and 16 men convicted of “protest-oriented” crimes. They include seriously ill and retired people, his press office said.
Rights groups have confirmed the release of 22 of the 30 convicts, including journalist Ksienija Łuckina, trade unionist Vasil Bieraśnieŭ, Iryna Sankoŭskaja, Volha Novikava, Ała Zujeva, Volha Stabroŭskaja, Tamara Karavaj, Kaciaryna Leŭ, Natalla Piatrovič, Śviatłana Pałuektava and Jaŭhien Čumiła.
Ryhor Kastusioŭ, another cancer patient who leads the outlawed Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), was released a few weeks earlier.
