Former inmate says Babaryka suffered mistreatment in prison

November 9, Pozirk. Former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka has turned 62 today, marking his fifth birthday behind bars.
Between summer of 2022 and the spring of 2023, Babaryka faced ill-treatment at a penal colony in Viciebsk region’s Navapołack, former prisoner Ihar Łosik, pardoned two months ago, said on Facebook.
No one was reportedly allowed to speak to Babaryka under threat of being sent to a punishment cell for 10 days.
“When I arrived, he worked at the prison bakery. A group of handpicked inmates accompanied him everywhere, both in the unit and at work, monitoring his every move and rushing to report to the guards. Still, some people weren’t afraid to talk to him or share tea, even though he always warned them about the consequences,” Łosik said.
Babaryka was frequently sent to a punishment cell, which was very cold during the winter and had mentally unstable inmates placed there with him, he added.
In 2024, Łosik caught a glimpse of Babaryka, who had lost a lot of weight.
Jailed banker-turned-politician was allowed to address his family in January this year after being held incommunicado for 18 months. He was given 14 years in prison in a case widely seen as politically motivated because he was arrested as his presidential campaign was gaining momentum in 2020.
In April 2023, he was reportedly admitted to the hospital with signs of beating and pneumothorax.
Reprisals: trial in absentia targets exiled Honest People members
- SocietyOfficial claims higher schools meet enrollment targetsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society, Sport
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityEU countries report 531 attempts at irregular entry from Belarus in first 10 days of AugustThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyForeign ministry issues alert over earthquake in ColombiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyEP president pays tribute to Milinkievič as lifelong champion of Belarusian democracyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyRussian trucks en route from Kaliningrad exclave held up in Belarus — reportsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyProminent freestyle coach Kazieka dies aged 76The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyLabor ministry plans to tie childcare benefits to recipients’ actual incomeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyLatvia stops 15 undocumented foreigners in clandestine tunnel on Belarus’ borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition leader discusses support for independent media with diplomatsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityPolice in Minsk region trained to suppress protestsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietySweden entitles Belarusians to alien’s passportsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyŁukašenka: Belarus can’t sell fertilizers at home or abroadThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEstonian newspaper gets “extremist” label in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMilinkievič epitomized dignity and inspired many, Cichanoŭskaja saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics
- PoliticsNew cases of politically motivated persecution reported in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCore inflation remains at 4.8 percent in JulyThe material is available only to POZIRK+


