September 16, Pozirk. Belarus is witnessing a resurgence of Stalinist practices, which pose a threat to everyone, including Europe and Lithuania, opposition politician Mikałaj Dziadok, pardoned on September 11 in Alaksandar Łukašenka’s deal with Washington, has told journalists.
He called for international support for Belarusian pro-democracy forces and continued efforts to free jailed dissidents.
“Every day, people there [in Belarusian prisons] are subjected to terrible, cruel and inhumane treatment and torture. People are dying there,” Dziadok stressed. “No one knows exactly how many political prisoners have died in custody. . . Some commit suicide, some die from curable diseases because they are not treated. Some die under unclear circumstances that cannot be investigated because these institutions are completely closed to any public control.”
Hundreds of people are held behind bars incommunicado, spend months in punishment cells and have lost hope, Dziadok added. “They understand that if someone wants to, they can be murdered, and nothing will happen to perpetrators,” he noted.
Dziadok, 37, said he had spent a total of 10 years in prison. International support is crucial for prisoners as it helps them endure incarceration and preserve their mental health, he stressed, citing his own experiences.
